Published 15.37
Israel and Lebanon are making progress in negotiations, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
– I think we are very close in our hope of achieving a declaration of intent between the two countries, he says during a visit to Bahrain on Thursday.
The latest round of talks between the countries is in its third and final day.
– It is a process, it will take time, it will require a lot of work, but for the first time in 30 years the sovereign government of Lebanon is talking directly with the government of Israel, says Rubio.
Israel’s military launched an offensive against Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon in early March, following Shia militia attacks on Israel in response to the Iran war.
Under American leadership, representatives of Lebanon’s government began direct talks with Israel in April, which had not happened since the 1990s.
A ceasefire has formally prevailed between Israel and Lebanon since mid-April. But as recently as last week, Hezbollah also agreed to agree to a ceasefire.
However, Israel has continued to direct sporadic attacks against what are reported to be Hezbollah targets even in recent days. On Thursday, three people were killed in an Israeli drone attack on a vehicle in southern Lebanon, Lebanon’s state news agency said. A total of seven people have been killed this week.
