Lebanon ready for peace talks with Israel, but wants ceasefire first
With Israel threatening its biggest ground invasion of Lebanon since 2006, a diplomatic track is opening up.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has deployed his most trusted fixer, Ron Dermer, to essentially head up the Lebanon brief. The expectation is that, on the US side, it would be Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Talks could well begin within days – direct, head-to-head talks – possibly in Paris or Cyprus.
There has also been reporting that the French have proposed a peace plan that would see Hezbollah disarmed as one of the core demands, and would also see Lebanon recognise Israel – an unprecedented development – as a requirement for ending the war. However, the French Foreign Ministry has recently denied that reporting.
Lebanese officials say they are ready for direct talks with Israel. Having said that, parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri, from the Amal party – a Shia party allied with Hezbollah – has said there should be a ceasefire before any talks. That could prove a complication.
‘No French plan’ to stop Israel’s war on Lebanon: France
France has denied reports it’s preparing a diplomatic proposal to halt Israel’s war on Lebanon. The Foreign Ministry said there is “no French plan” to end the conflict.
“France has supported the Lebanese authorities’ openness to direct talks with Israel and has offered to facilitate them. It will be up to the parties, and only the parties, to define the agenda for these discussions,” the ministry said.
The clarification follows a report by Axios suggesting France drafted a proposal to end the war that included Lebanon officially recognising the state of Israel.
Hezbollah battles advancing Israeli troops as strikes pummel villages across south Lebanon
Israeli air raids and artillery fire are striking multiple towns in southern Lebanon, according to the official Lebanese National News Agency.
The news report said air strikes hit the town of Mefdoun and the surrounding area between Mefdoun and Zawtar al-Sharqiyah.
At the same time, heavy artillery targeted nearby towns including Zawtar, Yahmar, Arnoun and Mefdoun.
Separately, Israeli forces attempted to advance into Aita al-Shaab where gunfire and shelling were heard. The report said fighters from Hezbollah responded by firing guided missiles at advancing Israeli troops.
Israeli air strike kills family of 4 in southern Lebanon
An Israeli air strike has killed an entire family in southern Lebanon, according to the official National News Agency. The attack hit a house in the town of Qantara, killing four members of the al-Saghir family. The victims include a father, a mother and their two children, the report said.
Israeli attacks have killed 826 people in Lebanon since the US-Israeli assault on Iran began on February 28, with the conflict now embroiling much of the Middle East.
Israeli attacks kill 5 in southern Lebanon, including child
Lebanon’s emergency services say Israeli attacks on two towns in the country’s south have killed at least five people and wounded seven others.
In a statement carried by Lebanon’s National News Agency, the emergency services said that “the Israeli enemy raid on the town of Mefdoun – Nabatieh district resulted in the martyrdom of four citizens, including a child, and the injury of five others, and that the raid on the town of Majdal Selem – Marjayoun district resulted in the martyrdom of one citizen and the injury of two others”.
Hezbollah fires missile salvo at Israeli troops near Lebanon border
The Lebanese group says it launched a missile attack targeting Israeli soldiers near the Lebanon border.
In a statement carried by Lebanon’s National News Agency, Hezbollah said it struck a gathering of Israeli enemy army soldiers in Khallat al-Mahafir, in the town of Odaisseh.
