Israeli forces advanced beyond Lebanon's Litani River in late May 2026, capturing strategic sites including Beaufort Castle and issuing expanded evacuation orders toward the Zahrani River amid operations against Hezbollah. This followed earlier 2026 fighting and partial ceasefires from April onward, which aimed to implement UN Resolution 1701 provisions for Hezbollah's withdrawal north of the river and Israeli pullback. US-mediated talks in early June produced agreements on "pilot zones" for Lebanese Armed Forces control south of the Litani, excluding non-state actors, though Hezbollah rejected terms demanding full Israeli withdrawal first. Israel has cited ongoing threats to northern communities as justification for maintaining positions, while Lebanese officials and mediators push simultaneous or phased redeployments. Trader assessments of any withdrawal deadline hinge on whether these talks produce verifiable implementation before further escalation or diplomatic shifts.