Among others Representatives of Israel and Lebanon discussed the ceasefire in Washington on Tuesday, Axios reported. These were the first direct talks between these countries in decades.
Two senior Lebanese officials told Reuters on Wednesday that efforts to reach a truce were underway and the U.S. was pressuring Israel on the matter. The government in Beirut, which does not control Hezbollah and has ordered the terrorist group to lay down its weapons, is seeking a truce. However, the pro-Iranian group consistently does not agree to disarmament.
A ceasefire may be near
Israel's security cabinet discussed a potential ceasefire in Lebanon on Wednesday. However, according to Axios, no decision on this matter was made during the meeting.
Israeli television Channel 12 reported that the US was pressuring Israel to agree to a temporary, week-long ceasefire in the fight against Hezbollah. “In our opinion, within a few days we will have no choice but to achieve a complete ceasefire in Lebanon,” a senior political source told television.
A US official told Axios that Trump would be happy if the fighting ended. The portal noted that it would also help it reach an agreement with Iran. Donald Trump's administration emphasized that it considers the war with Iran and Israel's offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon to be separate conflicts.
— The US did not ask Israel for a ceasefire in Lebanon and it is not part of the peace talks with Iran. But the president would be happy to see an end to the fighting as part of an agreement between Israel and Lebanon, the source said.
The Israeli army launched an operation against Hezbollah in early March, conducting airstrikes in Lebanon as well as ground operations in the south of that country. The conflict erupted after Iran-backed Hezbollah began attacking Israel's north again. This, in turn, was a reaction to the American-Israeli strikes against Iran that began on February 28.
