The new trilateral agreement between Israel, Lebanon and the United States has been welcomed by some as a historic turning point, but Dr. Martin Sherman says the real test will be whether Lebanon can actually impose its authority in the south.

For decades, Iran treated Lebanon not as a sovereign state, but as an extension of its own power, using Hezbollah to force permanent confrontation with Israel. Sherman says the agreement could signal a dramatic change if Lebanon truly begins to see Hezbollah not as its defender, but as its enemy.

The key point, he argues, is implementation. Israel is currently deployed several kilometers inside Lebanon in order to push Hezbollah away from northern Israeli communities and prevent another October 7-style assault. Israel’s withdrawal, according to the agreement, must come only after it is verified that Hezbollah no longer poses a threat.