Israel and Lebanon reach ‘historic’ maritime border deal

Israeli PM hails agreement that would mark significant compromise and may open way for energy exploration

Israel and Lebanon have reportedly agreed a deal in a dispute over gas fields and the two countries' maritime border, a groundbreaking diplomatic achievement that could boost natural gas production in the Mediterranean before the European winter begins.

Yair Lapid, Israel's prime minister, said on Tuesday that months of US-brokered negotiations had resulted in a historic agreement" between the two nations, which have technically been at war since Israel's creation in 1948. The deal would strengthen Israel's security, inject billions into Israel's economy, and ensure the stability of our northern border", he added.