Lebanon accuses Israel of rejecting truce

AFP | Beirut                                                      

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Lebanon’s prime minister accused Israel of rejecting a ceasefire after the Israeli military bombed the Hezbollah stronghold of south Beirut for the first time this week yesterday.

At least 10 strikes hit the southern suburbs before dawn after the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings, with AFPTV footage showing explosions and clouds of smoke.

“The raids left massive destruction in the targeted areas, as dozens of buildings were levelled to the ground, in addition to the outbreak of fires,” Lebanon’s National News Agency reported, adding that strikes also targeted Aley, southeast of the capital, and Bint Jbeil in the country’s south. The Israeli military said it continued operations against the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and its Palestinian ally Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The strikes came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met US officials to discuss a possible deal to end the war in Lebanon, ahead of Tuesday’s US presidential election. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the “expansion” of Israel’s attacks, saying they signalled a refusal to engage in truce efforts.

“The Israeli enemy’s renewed expansion... and its renewed targeting of the southern suburbs of Beirut with destructive raids are all indicators that confirm the Israeli enemy’s rejection of all efforts being made to secure a ceasefire,” he said. Afterwards, the NNA reported that Israeli warplanes conducted fresh strikes on the eastern city of Baalbek, home to UNESCO-designated Roman ruins.

On Thursday, strikes on Baalbek in eastern Lebanon left six dead, the news agency said, adding six others were killed in raids on Maqna. Ceasefire talks Analysts say Israel’s campaign in Lebanon has put it in a position of strength to reach a deal.

On Thursday, Netanyahu told US envoys Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk that any deal for a ceasefire with Hezbollah must guarantee Israel’s long-term security. The pair have since left for Washington, said a source familiar with the matter. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, who also met the Americans, emphasised “security arrangements” related to Lebanon and efforts to ensure the return of 101 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.

A US-brokered plan reportedly under consideration would see Hezbollah withdraw 30 kilometres (20 miles) north to the northern side of the Litani river, with Israeli forces pulling back and the Lebanese army, supported by UN peacekeepers, taking over the border. Lebanon would be responsible for preventing Hezbollah from rearming itself with imported weapons, and Israel would retain its rights under international law to act in self-defence.