Israeli forces initiated an operation to capture a crucial town in southern Lebanon from Hezbollah combatants entrenched within on Monday, intensifying their conflict against the Iran-supported group on the brink of significant discussions between Israeli and Lebanese officials.
Ahead of a scheduled meeting between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the United States, Lebanon’s foreign minister expressed the intention to advocate for a ceasefire in the ongoing war during face-to-face talks to be held in Washington. However, the prospects for the meeting, a rare encounter between formally hostile nations, were clouded by Israel’s refusal to entertain ceasefire discussions, countered by Hezbollah’s objection to engaging in negotiations with Israel, underlining escalating political tensions in Lebanon.
On the ground in southern Lebanon, the Israeli military encircled the town of Bint Jbeil located just beyond the border and commenced a ground offensive there, according to statements from an Israeli military spokesperson and Lebanese security sources. Reports indicated that Hezbollah fighters entrenched in the town had prepared to fiercely defend their position due to Bint Jbeil’s strategic and symbolic importance as a stronghold, provincial capital, and access point to nearby villages.
An Israeli military official indicated that full operational control of Bint Jbeil was anticipated to be achieved within a few days, with only a small faction of militants remaining in the vicinity. Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross reported an attack on a Red Cross facility in Tyre, southern Lebanon, resulting in a fatality as per Lebanon’s state news agency. The Israeli military acknowledged conducting a strike targeting a “Hezbollah terrorist” in Tyre and was investigating claims of damage to the Red Cross center.
Additionally, Israel’s military reported a Hezbollah-launched rocket hitting a residential building in the northern Israeli city of Nahariyya, causing minor injuries to a woman from shattered glass. The military disclosed intercepting over ten drones and rockets launched from Lebanon towards Israel earlier in the day.
A foreign security official based in Lebanon highlighted that seizing control of Bint Jbeil would enhance Israel’s border security along Lebanon’s southeastern border strip, while emphasizing the challenge posed by the heavily forested western border zone. The conflict was triggered by Hezbollah’s support for Tehran on March 2, prompting a significant Israeli offensive resulting in casualties and mass displacement in Lebanon.
Israel’s objective extended to occupying southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, situated approximately 30 kilometers from the Israeli border, according to official statements. Notably, Israel and the U.S. clarified that the campaign against Hezbollah was distinct from the Iran-U.S. ceasefire, although Pakistan’s prime minister had previously indicated that Lebanon would be included in the truce.
While hostilities in Lebanon persisted, Israel refrained from conducting airstrikes on Beirut since a previous assault that inflicted substantial casualties. The upcoming meeting in Washington between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors aimed to address the pursuit of a ceasefire, as confirmed by Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh in an interview.
Israel’s embassy in Washington underscored the talks as the initiation of formal peace negotiations, explicitly stating the refusal to engage in ceasefire discussions with Hezbollah. Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi emphasized Lebanon’s efforts to secure a ceasefire through direct dialogue, severing ties between the Lebanese matter and the Iranian agenda.
Despite the absence of a national consensus, the talks proceeded amid objections from Hezbollah and its ally Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who opposed negotiations without a prior ceasefire agreement due to the ongoing loss of civilian lives in Lebanon.