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Israel, Lebanon to hold talks in US next week; IDF continues to attack Hezbollah
After Netanyahu's remarks on direct talks with Lebanon, Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Fayyad rejected any direct talks between Israel and Lebanon.
Just days after Israel launched a surprise deadly attack on Lebanon, killing over 300 people and injuring over a thousand as per local authorities, both the countries will engage in talks in the United States next week, news agency AFP reported citing a US official on Thursday (local time).
The talks will reportedly be hosted by the US' State Department.
"We can confirm that the Department will host a meeting next week to discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Israel and Lebanon," a State Department official was quoted as saying.
The talks between Israel and Lebanon will take place soon after Iran and the United States will also engage in talks in Pakistan over the weekend.
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The upcoming talks between Israel and Lebanon also follow a two-week truce struck between Iran and the United States, in which, Netanyahu argued that Lebanon was not included due to Hezbollah.
Earlier in the day, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that he had approved direct talks with Lebanon “as soon as possible” which would focus on disarming Hezbollah. He also said he will continue the military operation against the Iran-backed militia in Lebanon.
Hezbollah rejects talks with Israel
However, after Netanyahu's remarks, Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Fayyad rejected any direct talks between Israel and Lebanon.
"We reiterate our rejection of any direct negotiations between Lebanon and the Israeli enemy, and the necessity of upholding national principles, foremost among them the Israeli withdrawal, the cessation of hostilities, and the return of residents to their villages and towns," Ali Fayyad said in a statement which was shared by Hezbollah's media channels.
He also called on the government of Lebanon to "adhere to the ceasefire as a precondition before proceeding with any further steps".
Whether Lebanon was covered under the two-week truce between Iran and the United States became a point of contention after Israel struck the country soon after the temporary ceasefire was announced. Netanyahu insisted that Lebanon was not a part of the ceasefire, a claim which was backed by US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
However, Iran maintained that ceasefire in Lebanon is a key condition in its 10-point peace plan shared with the US. Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, who will host the Iran-US peace talks later this week in Islamabad, had also said that Lebanon was included in the ceasefire plan.
Israel continues to strike Hezbollah
Even as Netanyahu called for direct talks with Lebanon, the Israeli forces continued to attack what they claimed were Hezbollah-linked sites across Lebanon on Thursday.
"A short while ago, the IDF began striking Hezbollah launch sites in Lebanon," the Israeli military said in a statement.
Trump optimistic about peace talks with Iran
US President Donald Trump expressed hope with the upcoming peace talks with Iran and claimed that the latter's public rhetoric is different than private conversations.
The Iranians “talk much differently when you’re at a meeting than they do to the press. They’re much more reasonable…They’re agreeing to all the things that they have to agree to. Remember, they’ve been conquered. They have no military," he said in a phone interview with NBC.
He added that he is “very optimistic” that the upcoming talks in Pakistan would be fruitful.
