Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun will not speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the near future, a senior Lebanese official told Middle East Eye, after reports of a planned phone call between the two leaders.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Beirut had informed Washington of Aoun’s position ahead of his calls with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz said Thursday that senior Israeli military commanders have reportedly received instructions to prepare forces currently deployed in southern Lebanon for a ceasefire, which is expected to begin between 7pm and midnight.
An Israeli source also told Reuters that a ceasefire could be announced "as soon as tonight".
The development comes two days after the US hosted the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon in Washington, in the first such talks between the two countries since 1993.
