Israel and Lebanon hold rare direct talks as US and Iran deepen standoff
WASHINGTON, (AP):- Lebanon and Israel opened their first direct diplomatic talks in decades on Tuesday in Washington, as fierce fighting between the Israeli military and Hezbollah militants rocks southern Lebanon. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio took part, joining the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the U.S. Hezbollah opposes the direct talks and won’t abide by any agreements made as a result, a high-ranking member of its political council told the AP.
The U.S. military claimed Tuesday that it has successfully begun to enforce a blockade of Iranian ports, as the standoff between the U.S. and Iran deepens. Tehran threatened to strike targets across the region, a day after Trump warned on social media that any Iranian warships nearing the blockade would be destroyed in a “quick and brutal” strike.
With Pakistan racing to bring the sides together for more talks, U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that a second round “could be happening over the next two days.”
The first round ended without an agreement on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, which the White House says is a sticking point. Neither side has indicated what will happen after the ceasefire expires on April 22.
