BEIRUT: A meeting between Lebanese and Israeli military delegations, under US sponsorship, is set to take place at the Pentagon on Friday to launch a new round of security talks between the two sides.
Israel and Hezbollah preempted the meeting by escalating their military operations, though on an uneven scale. On Thursday, Israeli airstrikes struck Beirut’s southern suburbs for the first time since the US-brokered 45-day ceasefire extension agreed in Washington on May 15, targeting a Hezbollah commander.
A Lebanese official source told Arab News that “the military meetings at the US Department of Defense in Washington remain on schedule under American sponsorship and facilitation.”
“Lebanon is prioritizing, in its direct talks with the Israeli side, the establishment of a ceasefire before turning to any broader political or security issues,” the person said.
Over the past 48 hours Israel has expanded its military operations in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, forcing residents of Tyre and Nabatieh to flee, many of whom were killed as they drove away.
