The U.S. official overseeing ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hezbollah is set to visit Beirut on Tuesday, as Lebanon is expected to respond to a U.S. truce proposal. This diplomatic effort has gained urgency as Israel intensifies its offensive. On Sunday, Israeli airstrikes in two central Beirut neighborhoods killed six, including at least one senior Hezbollah official. It marked Israel’s first strike on central Beirut in a month.
The U.S. truce proposal, presented last week to Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, aims to end hostilities and is backed by Hezbollah for negotiations. White House envoy Amos Hochstein is due in Beirut on Tuesday to discuss the ceasefire with Lebanese officials.
The proposed ceasefire is based on U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. It demands Hezbollah move its weapons and fighters north of the Litani River, approximately 20 km from the Israeli border. However, the proposal faces challenges, with Israel demanding the right to take action if Hezbollah violates the agreement, a stance Lebanon rejects.
Israel’s military campaign, launched after months of cross-border hostilities with Hezbollah, aims to secure the return of tens of thousands of Israelis displaced by rocket fire from Hezbollah. The conflict, which began as Hezbollah joined Hamas in the Gaza war over a year ago, has displaced over 1 million people in Lebanon, with Israel conducting extensive airstrikes and ground operations in southern Lebanon.
Also read: Two Killed, Ten Injured in Shootings at New Orleans Second-Line Parade
