The planned talks between Israel and Lebanon have been postponed until October, with Jewish holidays, a conference in Paris and preparations for the upcoming United Nations General Assembly preventing the participants from meeting in Rome, according to a report citing an informed source.
The Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors are expected to meet in Washington, according to a post on X.
The delay came as Lebanese President Joseph Aoun made an unannounced visit to the country’s south on Saturday, vowing to secure an Israeli withdrawal and oversee the reconstruction of the area after Israeli forces destroyed a nearby Hezbollah position.
Lebanese state media reported that Aoun arrived in Nabatieh accompanied by senior security officials, including army chief Rodolphe Haykal. It was his first visit to southern Lebanon since fighting broke out between Israel and Hezbollah.
During the visit, Aoun expressed solidarity with residents of Nabatieh, many of whom have been displaced from the area. He also praised staff at Nabatieh Governmental Hospital for continuing to provide medical services despite the risks.
“We stand by your side, and we are looking into how to provide all the necessary services so that you can remain here safely,” Aoun said, according to a statement issued by the presidency.
Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah had eased from late June until last week following a US-backed framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon.
However, Israeli forces have recently intensified strikes, particularly around Nabatieh. On Thursday, Israeli troops destroyed underground Hezbollah fortifications on the strategically important Ali al-Taher ridge.
The blast was powerful enough to trigger a tremor detected by seismic monitoring agencies.
Israeli strikes in the area have killed at least 29 people in recent days, including 12 members of one family. The Lebanese army warned on Wednesday that Israel’s actions were threatening implementation of the framework agreement.
