Preventing the expansion of the war in Lebanon tops the agenda of the French Foreign Minister’s visit to Beirut (Anatolia Agency)

Axios quoted Israeli officials and informed sources as saying that the United States, along with Britain, France, Germany, and Italy, aspires to announce agreed-upon steps within a few weeks, which Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah have pledged to ease tensions on the border.

Axios sources reported that the five Western countries are expected to announce potential economic benefits to boost the Lebanese economy, with the aim of facilitating a deal with Hezbollah.

The website explained that Hezbollah is not expected to be asked to move all of its fighters north of the Litani River, but rather what is required will be only 8 to 10 kilometers from the border.

Under the understanding, the Lebanese army will deploy between 10 and 12 thousand soldiers along the border with Israel.

Axios revealed that the United States requested that Israeli fighter flights be halted in Lebanese airspace, and Israel did not reject the request.

Beirut is ready to reach an agreement

Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib said that his country seeks to fully implement International Resolution 1701. He added after his meeting with French Foreign Minister Stephane Ségournet in Beirut that Lebanon is ready to reach an agreement to stabilize its internationally recognized southern border.

Bou Habib stressed that any escalation by Israel and launching a war against Lebanon would not be a desirable option and would lead to the outbreak of a regional war.

The French Minister held talks in Beirut with senior Lebanese officials.

The media office of Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati quoted Sigourney as saying that his visit to Lebanon comes within the framework of a tour of a number of countries, in the context of international efforts to stop the aggression against the Gaza Strip, preserve stability in Lebanon, remove dangers from it, and stop military actions on the southern border.

In the same context, the source stated that Amos Hochstein, one of President Joe Biden's closest advisors, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant last Sunday to discuss his proposal regarding new understandings regarding the borders.

He explained that the truce proposal between Israel and Hezbollah "will resemble the understandings that ended the round of fighting in 1996."

Since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, the Lebanese-Israeli border has witnessed tension and intermittent exchanges of fire between the Israeli army on the one hand and Hezbollah and Palestinian factions on the other hand. These events resulted in deaths and injuries on both sides.

Smoke rises after a previous Israeli raid on a town in southern Lebanon (French)

Field developments

On the ground, Hezbollah announced the implementation of 9 operations against Israeli sites in the Upper Galilee and the occupied Shebaa Farms. The party said that it targeted the headquarters of the Beit Hillel Battalion, affiliated with the Eastern Regional Brigade “769.”

The party added that its fighters bombed, with “Barkan” and “Falaq 1” missiles, and rocket weapons, the Ramim barracks and a gathering of soldiers in its vicinity and the vicinity of the Jal al-Alam site. They also bombed with artillery and missiles the sites of al-Marj, Ruwaisat al-Alam, al-Samaqa, and Ramtha. On the other hand, Israeli aircraft launched raids on the towns of Hula. Marwahin, Tair Harfa, and the Labouneh area, and several border towns were subjected to Israeli bombing.

Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that a series of explosions occurred that shook the Upper Galilee in the vicinity of the towns of Margaliot and Misgav Am, near the southern border of Lebanon.

Pictures showed columns of smoke rising around the Israeli military site, Al-Marj.

A resident of the border areas documented the moment a missile fell from southern Lebanon in the Upper Galilee, followed by intensified Israeli army artillery bombardment of a number of Lebanese towns. This comes after the occupation army announced that two soldiers were injured, described as minor, after Hezbollah fired missiles towards Margaliot.

Source: Al Jazeera