Israel’s Arabic-language military spokesperson said calm and stability could be achieved if Hezbollah ceased what she described as hostile activities and violations of agreements.
She said Israel’s presence in Lebanon was intended to remove threats and dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure, not to harm Lebanese civilians.
Lebanon’s health ministry says 3,912 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since Mar 2, including medics, women and children. Israel says at least 32 Israeli soldiers and four civilians have been killed.
PROSPECT OF IRAN-US TALKS UNCLEAR
As the fighting raged, it was unclear if any substantive talks would get underway soon between the US and Iran to turn this week’s interim 14-point pact into a lasting deal to end the war that the US and Israel launched on Feb 28.
Mohsin Naqvi, interior minister of Pakistan, which has been mediating in the conflict, was in Tehran for talks with Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, according to Iran’s ISNA news agency.
US Vice President JD Vance had this week cancelled plans to head to Switzerland for talks with Iran, which Bern says it is ready to facilitate, as tension between Israel and Hezbollah rose.
The White House would not confirm reports that US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner still planned to meet Iranian officials in Switzerland.
On Friday, Swiss authorities met officials from Qatar, which has also been supporting the negotiations, at the mountain resort of Buergenstock, near Lucerne.
The Iran war has killed at least 8,000 people, mostly in Iran and Lebanon. It has pushed up energy prices, stoking inflation worldwide.
The interim deal foresees relief for Iran from economic sanctions, the unfreezing of assets worth tens of billions of dollars and immediate US waivers for its exports of oil.
It also provides for a US$300-billion reconstruction fund for Iran and other financial incentives.
Trump again defended the deal after criticism in Washington, including some from Republican allies in Congress who question whether he conceded too much to end a war unpopular with most Americans ahead of midterm elections in November.
“The War has diminished Iran!” Trump wrote on social media on Friday, adding, “We didn’t meet out of desperation, Iran did. They are FINISHED! We’ll play out the 60 days. They get no money, not 10 cents!”
