direct-israel-lebanon-talks-begin-in-washington

The ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon began a new round of direct talks in Washington on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump said he had received commitments from both sides to de-escalate.

 

The fourth meeting between representatives of the two countries, which do not have diplomatic relations, is taking place at the State Department and is scheduled to last two days.

 

Participants include Israel’s ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese envoy Nada Hamadeh Moawad, as well as Daniel Holler, a senior advisor to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. None of the officials made any statements.

 

The talks come as Hezbollah and Israel continue to exchange fire despite Trump announcing an agreement Monday to halt attacks.

 

Israel on Tuesday said it would continue targeting Hezbollah’s bastions in Beirut’s suburbs if the Iran-backed group continues to attack northern Israeli towns. Recent days have seen a dramatic escalation in fighting and bombardment as Israeli troops stage their deepest incursion into Lebanon in two decades.

 

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s health ministry said on Tuesday that Israeli strikes a day earlier near a hospital in the southern city of Tyre killed four people and wounded 127 others, including 39 staff from the facility.

 

Also read: Trump confronts Netanyahu over partial ceasefire in Lebanon