U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with both Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Washington advances diplomacy on a new Israel–Lebanon ceasefire plan, a U.S. official says. According to the official, the U.S. proposes a staged approach: as an initial step, Hezbollah would stop all attacks on Israel, while Israel would refrain from escalation in Beirut. The U.S. says the proposal is intended to create conditions for broader de-escalation between the sides.
The accounts also describe Lebanese engagement with the plan. One report says Aoun tries to move the proposal forward, while Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri links progress to Israel ending what he characterizes as “shooting first.” Both the U.S. calls for ceasefire talks and the Lebanese political response are discussed as negotiations continue between Israel and Lebanon through direct and mediated channels.
