Lebanon rules out talks with Netanyahu for now despite Trump’s comments

FIGHTING CONTINUES IN SOUTH LEBANON

Fighting continued to rage in south Lebanon, notably in the Lebanese border town of Bint Jbeil, a Hezbollah stronghold and strategic prize, which Netanyahu said on Wednesday the Israeli military was about to “overcome”.

A senior Lebanese official said Lebanon believed Israel wanted to secure a victory in Bint Jbeil before diplomatic progress could be made. An Israeli strike destroyed the last bridge over the Litani River into the south, a senior Lebanese security source said, fully severing almost a tenth of Lebanon from the rest of the country after Israel destroyed other crossings during the war.

Hezbollah announced new rocket attacks at Israel. In Israel, sirens rang out warning of incoming rockets, sending residents of several northern Israeli towns running to bomb shelters. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Israeli attacks have killed more than 2,100 people in Lebanon since Mar 2 and forced more than 1.2 million to flee, Lebanese authorities say. Hezbollah attacks have killed two ⁠Israeli civilians, while 13 Israeli soldiers have died in Lebanon since Mar 2, Israel says.

ISRAEL VOWS “NO-GO” ZONE FOR HEZBOLLAH 

The Israeli military’s chief of staff said on Wednesday the area south of the Litani would be a “no-go zone for Hezbollah operatives”, reflecting Israel’s declared aim to keep control of a swathe of Lebanon south of the river that meets the Mediterranean about 30km north of Israel’s border. 

Washington expressed optimism on Wednesday about reaching a deal to end the Iran war. The sides agreed to a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war on Apr 8, following mediation by Pakistan.

Israel and ‌the US have ⁠said the campaign against Hezbollah was not part of that ceasefire, though Pakistan’s prime minister had said the truce would include Lebanon, as demanded by Iran.

A senior Israeli official and the senior Lebanese official said on Wednesday that Netanyahu’s government was under heavy pressure from Washington to reach a ceasefire in Lebanon.

A senior US administration official said on Wednesday the Trump administration had not asked for a ceasefire, but the US president “would welcome the end of hostilities in Lebanon as part of a peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon”.