Lebanon received a message from the US side that Israel will carry out limited withdrawals from southern Lebanon as a goodwill gesture before the next round of talks on Tuesday, according to the Lebanese LBCI broadcaster. Separately, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa denied that President Trump's suggestion of a Syrian role in Lebanon means Syrian forces will enter, saying he is willing to sit with Hezbollah for negotiations.
According to Lebanese broadcaster LBCI, Beirut received a message from the US side that Israel will carry out limited withdrawals from southern Lebanon as a goodwill gesture ahead of the next round of talks scheduled for Tuesday. The report — attributed to the American side — comes amid an active diplomatic push by Washington to advance a framework for a permanent ceasefire and IDF redeployment along the Israel-Lebanon border.
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, speaking separately on Sunday, denied that a Syrian role in Lebanon is imminent. Al-Sharaa said President Trump's recent remarks suggesting Syrian forces could enter Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah were misunderstood, and that he is prepared to sit with Hezbollah for negotiations. This aligns with earlier reporting by The Zioneer that al-Sharaa had rejected a US proposal for Syrian military intervention in Lebanon, fearing being perceived as protecting Israeli interests.
The US message to Lebanon follows repeated statements by Trump over the past week expressing disappointment with Israel's handling of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and calling for progress on a diplomatic solution. The negotiations track, which Washington and Paris are leading, is expected to address Israel's five tactical positions in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah's deployment. It remains unclear which positions would be included in the limited withdrawal reported by LBCI, or whether Israel has confirmed the move.
3 developments
- DevelopingUS, France and Lebanon push for Israeli withdrawal, Hezbollah redeployment talks
- DevelopingReport: US trying to persuade Iran with offer tying withdrawal to de-escalation
- DevelopingIDF says Lebanon withdrawal to be discussed in US talks next week
- StrongTrump administration demands partial Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon
Source and signal
- Internal intake