Israel Will Israel Increase Negotiations with Lebanon: Could Syria Help Kickstart This?

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The IDF is reportedly urging Israel’s political echelon to intensify negotiations with the Lebanese government amid fears that ongoing US-Iran talks will hamper its offensive against Hezbollah.

Since Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding last week, kickstarting negotiations toward a final deal, Iran has been insisting that Israel halt its military operation in Lebanon as a precondition for talks.

A senior security official tells Channel 12 News that “another attempt” by Israel to “separate between the theaters [Iran and Lebanon] will worsen our situation with the United States.”

“We need to be cautious about our moves in Lebanon so that it doesn’t get us in trouble,” the source says to the outlet.

Per the report, the IDF is currently insisting on two specific aims in Lebanon: preserving a buffer zone in the country’s south and succeeding in destroying a major underground Hezbollah facility underneath the Ali Taher ridge, near Nabatieh.

At the same time, the army is reportedly urging the government to raise the level of its delegation in Washington and speed up talks with the Lebanese government.

The goal of these intensified negotiations would be to isolate Hezbollah and reach a potential agreement with Beirut on its own terms, rather than face the prospect of American pressure to act in accordance with Iranian demands.

Meanwhile, a senior Israeli diplomatic official tells the outlet that Washington thus far has not explicitly asked Israel to withdraw troops from Lebanon.

Source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveb...-intensify-talks-with-beirut-to-reach-accord/

President Ahmed al-Sharaa says Syria could play a constructive role in resolving Lebanon’s crisis by supporting the Lebanese state and helping open channels of communication among Lebanese political factions, including Hezbollah, state news agency SANA reported.

Al-Sharaa said earlier remarks on Syria’s potential role had been misunderstood, leading to inaccurate interpretations that Syria could become militarily involved.

In an interview with Al-Mashhad TV, he said Syria was seeking economic, not military, corridors with Lebanon, citing historical trade links between Damascus and Beirut and between Homs and Tripoli.

Al-Sharaa said talks with the US had focused on ending the conflict and addressing its fallout for both Lebanon and Syria.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/live...ads-to-switzerland-israel-kills-16-in-lebanon