Lebanon awaits truce plans after US envoy hints at hope

Israeli forces struck the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut for a second straight day. (AP PHOTO)

Lebanon is awaiting concrete ceasefire proposals, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri says, after a senior US official said he saw "a shot" at a truce soon in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

The Israeli military struck the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut for a second consecutive day after pounding the area with air strikes on Tuesday. Smoke rose over Beirut.

An Israeli air strike early on Wednesday also killed six people in Aaramoun, in the mountains some 15km south of Beirut, Lebanon's health ministry said.

Israel launched a major air and ground offensive against the Iran-backed group Hezbollah in late September after nearly a year of cross-border conflict in parallel with the Gaza war.

White House envoy Amos Hochstein told Axios he thought "there is a shot" at a truce in Lebanon soon.

Senior adviser to US President Joe Biden, Amos Hochstein
White House envoy Amos Hochstein believes "there is a shot" at a truce in Lebanon soon.

"I am hopeful we can get it."

His comments point to a last-ditch bid by the outgoing administration of US President Joe Biden to secure a Lebanon ceasefire as diplomacy to end the Gaza war appears adrift, with mediator Qatar having suspended its role.

The United States and other world powers say a ceasefire must be based on a UN Security Council resolution that ended a war between the sides in 2006.

The resolution demands that the areas of south Lebanon near the Israeli border be free of any weapons other than those of the Lebanese state.

Israel long complained it was never implemented, pointing to Hezbollah weapons and fighters at the border.

Lebanon in turn accused Israel of violating the resolution, with Israeli warplanes regularly violating its airspace.

Lebanon Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri
Lebanon had not been informed officially of any new ceasefire proposals, Speaker Nabih Berri said.

Berri, endorsed to negotiate by Hezbollah, told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that Lebanon had not been informed officially of any new proposals for a ceasefire, which several rounds of US-led diplomacy have failed to secure in the past year.

"What is on the table is only Resolution 1701 and its provisions, which must be implemented and adhered to by both sides, not by the Lebanese side alone," Berri, who helped negotiate the 2006 truce, told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.

Israel wants the right to intervene itself to enforce any ceasefire if it seems it necessary, noting the presence of UN peacekeepers in south Lebanon had not stopped Hezbollah from building forces in the area.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in the Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, which residents have largely evacuated.

The Israeli military earlier issued a statement on social media saying it would act soon against targets in the area, warning residents they were located near Hezbollah facilities.

On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said there had been "a certain progress" in ceasefire talks over Lebanon, though the main challenge would be enforcement.

A site targeted by an Israeli air strike east of Beirut
Israeli attacks have killed more than 3000 people in Lebanon since hostilities erupted a year ago.

Israel's new defence minister, Israel Katz, said on Monday there would be no ceasefire in Lebanon until Israel achieved its goals there, including disarming Hezbollah and returning evacuated Israelis to their homes in northern Israel.

Israel's campaign has dealt Hezbollah major blows, killing its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and other top commanders and pounding the Shi'ite Islamist group's political and military strongholds across Lebanon.

Since hostilities erupted a year ago, Israeli attacks have killed at least 3287 people in Lebanon, the majority in the past seven weeks, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

Its figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Hezbollah attacks have killed about 100 civilians and soldiers in northern Israel, the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and southern Lebanon in the past year, according to Israel.

A Hezbollah attack on Tuesday killed two people in the city of Nahariya in northern Israel.

License this article

What is AAPNews?

For the first time, Australian Associated Press is delivering news straight to the consumer.

No ads. No spin. News straight-up.

Not only do you get to enjoy high-quality news delivered straight to your desktop or device, you do so in the knowledge you are supporting media diversity in Australia.

AAP Is Australia’s only independent newswire service, free from political and commercial influence, producing fact-based public interest journalism across a range of topics including politics, courts, sport, finance and entertainment.

What is AAPNews?
The Morning Wire

Wake up to AAPNews’ morning news bulletin delivered straight to your inbox or mobile device, bringing you up to speed with all that has happened overnight at home and abroad, as well as setting you up what the day has in store.

AAPNews Morning Wire
AAPNews Breaking News
Breaking News

Be the first to know when major breaking news happens.


Notifications will be sent to your device whenever a big story breaks, ensuring you are never in the dark when the talking points happen.

Focused Content

Enjoy the best of AAP’s specialised Topics in Focus. AAP has reporters dedicated to bringing you hard news and feature content across a range of specialised topics including Environment, Agriculture, Future Economies, Arts and Refugee Issues.

AAPNews Focussed Content
Subscription Plans

Choose the plan that best fits your needs. AAPNews offers two basic subscriptions, all billed monthly.

Once you sign up, you will have seven days to test out the service before being billed.

AAPNews Full Access Plan
Full Access
AU$10
  • Enjoy all that AAPNews has to offer
  • Access to breaking news notifications and bulletins
  • Includes access to all AAPNews’ specialised topics
Join Now
AAPNews Student Access Plan
Student Access
AU$5
  • Gain access via a verified student email account
  • Enjoy all the benefits of the ‘Full Access’ plan at a reduced rate
  • Subscription renews each month
Join Now
AAPNews Annual Access Plan
Annual Access
AU$99
  • All the benefits of the 'Full Access' subscription at a discounted rate
  • Subscription automatically renews after 12 months
Join Now

AAPNews also offers enterprise deals for businesses so you can provide an AAPNews account for your team, organisation or customers. Click here to contact AAP to sign-up your business today.

SEVEN DAYS FREE
Download the app
Download AAPNews on the App StoreDownload AAPNews on the Google Play Store