Netanyahu Orders Talks With Lebanon While Israel Continues Striking Hezbollah
Key Takeaways
- Netanyahu authorizes direct Israel-Lebanon talks to begin as soon as possible.
- Israel continues strikes on Hezbollah across Lebanon.
- The United States will host ceasefire talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington.
Israel-Lebanon Talks
Netanyahu directed his cabinet to begin direct talks with Lebanon as soon as possible.
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has directed his cabinet to begin ceasefire talks with Lebanon “as soon as possible”, a day after his country unleashed the largest-scale attacks yet on its neighbour, killing at least 300 people and injuring 1,150”
Israel unleashed its heaviest bombing of Lebanon, killing at least 300 people.
Netanyahu said Israel would continue striking Hezbollah even as talks began.
Lebanese Prime Minister Aoun welcomed the move but insisted no negotiations with the country under fire.
The US has offered to mediate and host negotiators in Islamabad.
Ceasefire Ambiguity
The US-Iran ceasefire did not explicitly include Lebanon.
Iran insisted the ceasefire covered all its allies, including Hezbollah.
Israel carried out its largest bombing of Lebanon just hours after the ceasefire was announced.
The Lebanese health ministry said the death toll rose to 303.
European leaders warned Israel's attacks threatened to derail the wider ceasefire.
Hezbollah and Regional Dynamics
Hezbollah has resisted disarming and continued launching rockets into Israel.
A senior Hezbollah official dismissed the possibility of talks.
The group holds 15 of 128 seats in parliament but its armed wing is stronger than the Lebanese military.
Israel occupied southern Lebanon for 18 years from 1982.
The parallel pursuit of diplomacy and military escalation underscores the fragile nature of the situation.
International Pressure and Economic Impact
Israel faced pressure from its European allies to cease attacks on Lebanon.
The IMF announced it would downgrade its global growth outlook because of the war.
Oil prices fluctuated amid uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran effectively closed the strait after the war began.
The coming days were described as critical.
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