<p>US President Donald Trump said Lebanese and <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/israel">Israeli </a>leaders will hold diplomatic talks on Thursday for the first time in decades. </p><p>The conflict in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/lebanon">Lebanon </a>spread through the US and Israel's offensive in Iran on March 2, with the Iran-backed Hezbollah opening fire in support of Tehran. </p><p>This paved way to Israel's aggression in Lebanon only 15 months after a major conflict between the two nations. The Israeli security cabinet on Wednesday discussed a possible ceasefire in Lebanon. </p>.Explained | What we know about talks expected to be held by Israel and Lebanon?.<p>Meanwhile, Pakistan has reiterated that ceasefire in Lebanon is "essential" for peace in Iran. </p><p>"Peace in Lebanon is essential for (Iran) peace talks," Tahir Andrabi, spokesperson for Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, said.</p><p>In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he was "trying to get a little breathing room" between Israel and Lebanon.</p><p>"It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow. Nice!" Trump wrote in the post published before midnight on Wednesday, Washington time.</p>. <p>Further, Gila Gamliel, a member of Israel's security cabinet, told Israel's Army Radio that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would "speak for the first time with the president of Lebanon after so many years of no contact between the two countries".</p><p>If the talks between Netanyahu and Joseph Aoun go through, it would be a milestone in the ties between the two countries, who have been at war since Israel was established in 1948. </p><p>Hezbollah opposes contacts between Lebanon and Israel.</p><p>Aoun, who became the president last year after commanding a US-backed Lebanese, said Israel's withdrawal would be a "fundamental step to consolidate the ceasefire" so that Lebanese troops could deploy to the south.</p>.Explained | Israel and Lebanon are holding talks.<p>The Lebanese government has been in conflict with the Hezbollah over its decision to enter the war, having spent the last year seeking to secure the peaceful disarmament of the group founded by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in 1982.</p><p>Beirut banned Hezbollah's military activities on March 2.</p><p>Israel and the US have repeatedly said the campaign against Hezbollah was not part of that ceasefire, though Pakistan's prime minister had said the truce would include Lebanon, as demanded by Iran.</p><p>A senior US administration official told <em>Reuters </em>that the Trump administration had not asked for a ceasefire, but the US president "would welcome the end of hostilities in Lebanon as part of a peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon".</p><p>Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors held rare talks in Washington on Tuesday.</p><p>Iran has said Lebanon must be included in any agreement to end the wider Middle East war, while Washington has pushed back, saying there is no link between the two sets of talks. </p><p><strong>Fighting in South Lebanon</strong> </p><p>The war and fighting continued in south Lebanon, especially in the Lebanese border town of Bint Jbeil, a Hezbollah stronghold. </p><p>An Israeli strike destroyed the last bridge over the Litani River into the south, a senior Lebanese security source told <em>Reuters. </em></p><p>Meanwhile, Hezbollah launched new rocket attacks at Israel as several sirens rang warning of incoming rockets, sending residents of several northern Israeli towns running to bomb shelters. </p><p>Israeli attacks have killed more than 2,100 people in Lebanon since March 2 and displaced more than 1.2 million from their homes, according to Lebanese authorities. </p><p>Hezbollah attacks have killed two Israeli civilians, while 13 Israeli soldiers have died in Lebanon since March 2, Israel says.</p>
<p>US President Donald Trump said Lebanese and <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/israel">Israeli </a>leaders will hold diplomatic talks on Thursday for the first time in decades. </p><p>The conflict in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/lebanon">Lebanon </a>spread through the US and Israel's offensive in Iran on March 2, with the Iran-backed Hezbollah opening fire in support of Tehran. </p><p>This paved way to Israel's aggression in Lebanon only 15 months after a major conflict between the two nations. The Israeli security cabinet on Wednesday discussed a possible ceasefire in Lebanon. </p>.Explained | What we know about talks expected to be held by Israel and Lebanon?.<p>Meanwhile, Pakistan has reiterated that ceasefire in Lebanon is "essential" for peace in Iran. </p><p>"Peace in Lebanon is essential for (Iran) peace talks," Tahir Andrabi, spokesperson for Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, said.</p><p>In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he was "trying to get a little breathing room" between Israel and Lebanon.</p><p>"It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow. Nice!" Trump wrote in the post published before midnight on Wednesday, Washington time.</p>. <p>Further, Gila Gamliel, a member of Israel's security cabinet, told Israel's Army Radio that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would "speak for the first time with the president of Lebanon after so many years of no contact between the two countries".</p><p>If the talks between Netanyahu and Joseph Aoun go through, it would be a milestone in the ties between the two countries, who have been at war since Israel was established in 1948. </p><p>Hezbollah opposes contacts between Lebanon and Israel.</p><p>Aoun, who became the president last year after commanding a US-backed Lebanese, said Israel's withdrawal would be a "fundamental step to consolidate the ceasefire" so that Lebanese troops could deploy to the south.</p>.Explained | Israel and Lebanon are holding talks.<p>The Lebanese government has been in conflict with the Hezbollah over its decision to enter the war, having spent the last year seeking to secure the peaceful disarmament of the group founded by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in 1982.</p><p>Beirut banned Hezbollah's military activities on March 2.</p><p>Israel and the US have repeatedly said the campaign against Hezbollah was not part of that ceasefire, though Pakistan's prime minister had said the truce would include Lebanon, as demanded by Iran.</p><p>A senior US administration official told <em>Reuters </em>that the Trump administration had not asked for a ceasefire, but the US president "would welcome the end of hostilities in Lebanon as part of a peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon".</p><p>Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors held rare talks in Washington on Tuesday.</p><p>Iran has said Lebanon must be included in any agreement to end the wider Middle East war, while Washington has pushed back, saying there is no link between the two sets of talks. </p><p><strong>Fighting in South Lebanon</strong> </p><p>The war and fighting continued in south Lebanon, especially in the Lebanese border town of Bint Jbeil, a Hezbollah stronghold. </p><p>An Israeli strike destroyed the last bridge over the Litani River into the south, a senior Lebanese security source told <em>Reuters. </em></p><p>Meanwhile, Hezbollah launched new rocket attacks at Israel as several sirens rang warning of incoming rockets, sending residents of several northern Israeli towns running to bomb shelters. </p><p>Israeli attacks have killed more than 2,100 people in Lebanon since March 2 and displaced more than 1.2 million from their homes, according to Lebanese authorities. </p><p>Hezbollah attacks have killed two Israeli civilians, while 13 Israeli soldiers have died in Lebanon since March 2, Israel says.</p>
