Live updates: Follow the latest news on the Iran war
Israel has reportedly agreed to hold back from launching strikes on Beirut and its southern suburbs, instead co-ordinating any such attacks with Washington through a formal mechanism, according to Israeli media.
Israeli forces will be refraining from initiating strikes in those areas unless there is what officials describe as a “clear operational necessity”, such as high-value intelligence indicating preparations for long-range attacks or the transfer of weapons beyond Lebanon, said the reports.
In such cases, any strike would be carried out in co-ordination with the US, under a framework similar to the November 2024 ceasefire arrangements, which Israel broke hundreds of times.
The Israeli army killed hundreds of Lebanese this week in Beirut, claiming it was targeting Hezbollah but hitting densely populated areas. On Wednesday, it launched 100 strikes in 10 minutes, hitting different parts of the capital. Families are still searching for relatives under the rubble or racing to identify them in hospitals and morgues.
On Friday, more than 25 people were killed in Israeli strikes on the southern town of Nabatieh, including 12 members of the Lebanese security forces, civil defence told The National.
According to Israeli media, the restraint is partly driven by US efforts to prevent further escalation at a sensitive diplomatic moment, as Washington engages in crucial talks with Iran, Hezbollah’s main backer. Tehran has signalled it will not attend the Islamabad negotiations on Saturday unless there is an agreement regarding Lebanon.
It comes after Lebanon’s presidency confirmed on Friday that Beirut will participate in US-mediated talks with Israel in Washington, with a first meeting scheduled for Tuesday at the State Department. The announcement marks a rare moment of direct engagement, even if expectations remain low.
A call between Israeli ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese ambassador Nada Moawad, joined by US ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, discussed a potential ceasefire announcement and the timeline for negotiations under American sponsorship, the presidency said.
Mr Netanyahu has framed the talks in more strategic terms, saying he instructed his cabinet to pursue “direct negotiations” with Lebanon focused on disarming Hezbollah. For Beirut, securing a seat at the table has been a priority, particularly as wider regional negotiations gather pace.
