US envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Beirut on Tuesday for discussions with Lebanese officials regarding a US-brokered ceasefire proposal between Hezbollah and Israel. The visit follows Hezbollah’s approval of a draft ceasefire agreement facilitated by Washington, according to Lebanon’s state news agency.
This development marks significant progress in US-led diplomatic efforts to end the conflict that escalated into full-scale war in late September, after Israel launched a major offensive against Hezbollah.
Ali Hassan Khalil, an aide to Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, confirmed that both the Lebanese government and Hezbollah had agreed to the US proposal and provided comments on its content. Khalil refrained from detailing these comments but described the response as positive and aligned with the principles of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. The resolution mandates that Hezbollah must not maintain an armed presence in the area between the Israeli-Lebanese border and the Litani River.
Whilst Hezbollah has entrusted Berri with leading negotiations, both sides have intensified military actions during the ongoing political talks. Khalil criticised Israel for attempting to 'negotiate under fire', referencing an escalation in Israeli bombardments targeting Beirut and Hezbollah-controlled regions in southern Lebanon. He emphasised that these actions would not alter Lebanon’s stance.
A diplomat familiar with the discussions noted that some details of the agreement still need to be finalised, warning that unresolved issues could delay a formal deal.
Israel has not issued an official statement on the proposed ceasefire. However, the continuing dialogue signals a potential breakthrough in efforts to halt the violence and restore stability to the region.
An Israeli airstrike in central Beirut killed five people and wounded 31 on Monday, marking the second consecutive day of strikes in the city. The attack comes as Lebanon and Hezbollah agree to a U.S.-proposed ceasefire with Israel. Tel Aviv is yet to respond.
Hezbollah’s media chief, Mohammad Afif, has been killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut. A second strike killed two others and injured 22 people.
Hezbollah fired rockets at Israeli military bases near Tel Aviv and a naval facility near Haifa, coinciding with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Israel. Tensions continue to rise amid ongoing conflicts and fears of further escalation.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence chief, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, the court said on Thursday.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel describes her dealings with world leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump during her 16 years in power in her new memoir, which comes as her legacy is under fire in light of today's crises.
Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, active again after 800 years, has seen repeated volcanic eruptions since 2021. From lava fountains to massive fissures, eruptions have reshaped the landscape, attracting tourists while prompting evacuations and safety warnings.
An earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale struck the Dashtestan district of Bushehr Province in southern Iran at 8:30 a.m. local time today, according to the National Seismology Center of the Institute of Geophysics at Tehran University.
"Come up with the video in its full form," demands the COP29 CEO, Elnur Soltanov, in an exclusive interview with AnewZ. The chief executive has broken his silence on the claims he was using his position to organise potential fossil fuel deals.
The United Nations COP29 climate change conference in Baku seeks $1 trillion annually to help vulnerable nations tackle climate change, as political tensions and Argentina’s withdrawal overshadow talks.
Afghanistan calls on COP29 leaders to prioritize vulnerable communities in climate justice, grateful to Azerbaijan for inclusion.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel describes her dealings with world leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump during her 16 years in power in her new memoir, which comes as her legacy is under fire in light of today's crises.
The United States said it had reopened its embassy in Kyiv late on Wednesday after it had shut for the day due to what it called the threat of a significant air attack, a day after Ukraine used American missiles to hit a target inside Russia.
China's defense minister declined a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a meeting of defense leaders in Laos, a move the Pentagon chief said on Wednesday was unfortunate.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy acknowledged the Crimea peninsula, seized by Russia in 2014, would have to be restored to Ukrainian sovereignty through diplomacy.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence chief, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, the court said on Thursday.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel describes her dealings with world leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump during her 16 years in power in her new memoir, which comes as her legacy is under fire in light of today's crises.
Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, active again after 800 years, has seen repeated volcanic eruptions since 2021. From lava fountains to massive fissures, eruptions have reshaped the landscape, attracting tourists while prompting evacuations and safety warnings.
An earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale struck the Dashtestan district of Bushehr Province in southern Iran at 8:30 a.m. local time today, according to the National Seismology Center of the Institute of Geophysics at Tehran University.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment