Israel Seeks Direct Talks With Lebanon; PM Nawaf Salam to Visit US

Lebanon's PM Nawaf Salam is set to visit Washington DC following Israel's request for direct talks to disarm Hezbollah. This comes amid a fragile US-Iran ceasefire, which Israel says does not apply to its ongoing strikes in Lebanon.

Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is set to travel to the US capital of Washington DC in the coming days following Israel's request for direct negotiations with Lebanon, a Lebanese government source told CNN on Friday.

Ceasefire Tensions and Continued Hostilities

The development comes amid a fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which continues to hold for now but faces mounting strain. A key point of contention remains whether ongoing hostilities in Lebanon fall under the scope of the truce.

According to CNN, despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued its strikes targeting Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. Lebanese authorities reported that a major wave of attacks earlier this week resulted in at least 300 death, raising concerns over further escalation in the region.

Israel's Position: No Ceasefire, Call for Talks

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that there is "no ceasefire in Lebanon" and vowed to continue military operations with "full force" against Hezbollah. "I wish to inform you: There is no ceasefire in Lebanon. We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with full force, and we will not stop until we restore your security," he said.

Netanyahu further stated that he has instructed the Cabinet to open direct negotiations with the Lebanese government to achieve "disarmament of Hezbollah" and "historic peace agreement". "Following repeated requests from the Lebanese government, last night I instructed the Cabinet to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon to achieve two goals. First, the disarmament of Hezbollah. Second, a historic peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon," he said.

IDF Confirms Fresh Strikes

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) had launched a fresh wave of strikes on Hezbollah launch sites."The IDF has begun to attack the Hezbollah terror organisation's launch sites in Lebanon," the IDF said in a post on X.

Official Statements on Negotiations

Prior to the previous development, Netanyahu instructed the government officials to open direct negotiations with Lebanon for the disarmament of Hezbollah and the establishment of peace.

According to a statement shared by the Prime Minister's Office on X, Netanyahu said the decision follows repeated requests from Lebanon to initiate talks with Israel amid continued strikes by Israeli forces on the country. "In light of Lebanon's repeated requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed at the Government meeting yesterday to open direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible," the statement stated.

The statement also noted that Israel "appreciates the call" made by Lebanon's Prime Minister to demilitarise Beirut, signalling a possible shift in diplomatic engagement between the two sides.

The developments come as the fragile ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran hangs in the balance, with Tehran stating that the truce also includes the halt to Israeli military operations in Lebanon. (ANI)

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