Israel on Monday told residents of south Lebanon to stay out of a belt of territory at the border and not to approach the area of the Litani River, entrenching its grip over southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire in the war with Hezbollah, Reuters reported.
The U.S.-mediated, 10-day ceasefire took effect on Thursday, largely halting the war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah that spiralled out of the conflict between the United States and Iran.
But it remains fragile, with Israeli troops occupying territory deep in the south, aiming to create a buffer zone to shield northern Israel from Hezbollah attack, while the group says it maintains the "right to resist" Israeli occupation.
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri told the pan-Arab Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that Washington was making an effort to extend the ceasefire agreed by the Israeli and Lebanese governments, after he met the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon.
Following the highest level contacts in decades between Israel and Lebanon last week, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said Washington would host a second round of ambassador-level talks between Lebanon and Israel on Thursday. Hezbollah strongly opposes the contacts.
Follow the latest news on Google News
