Lebanon President Stresses Importance of Ceasefire Before Talks with Israel

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday stressed the importance of a ceasefire before any direct negotiations with Israel, ahead of possible talks with Israel’s leader that Beirut has not confirmed will take place.

“The ceasefire requested by Lebanon with Israel is the natural starting point for direct negotiations between the two countries,” Aoun said in a statement.

His comments came after Aoun’s meeting with British Minister Hamis Falconer and as US President Donald Trump announced the “leaders” of Israel and Lebanon would talk on Thursday, which an Israeli minister confirmed.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military carried out two strikes against a key bridge in the south of Lebanon on Thursday, destroying it, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported.

“Enemy aircraft carried out two consecutive strikes on the Qasmieh bridge, the last bridge between the Tyre and Sidon regions, completely destroying it,” the NNA said. AFP