Hezbollah’s weapons… Netanyahu sets the primary objective of negotiations with Lebanon

Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel’s primary objective in the first direct negotiations with Lebanon in decades is to ensure Hezbollah’s disarmament.

On Wednesday, the Israeli Prime Minister said in a televised address: “In the negotiations with Lebanon, there are two fundamental objectives: first, the disarmament of Hezbollah, and second, a lasting peace — a peace based on strength.”

Earlier in the day, the Israeli army received orders to kill any Hezbollah fighter in an area in southern Lebanon stretching from the Israeli-Lebanese border to the Litani River, located thirty kilometers to the north.

A military statement quoted Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir during an inspection of Israeli forces deployed in southern Lebanon as saying: “I ordered that the area of southern Lebanon up to the Litani become a lethal fire zone against any Hezbollah terrorist” aligned with Iran.

Zamir added: “We are advancing and striking Hezbollah while they are retreating,” noting that his forces have killed “more than 1,700” of its fighters since the start of the war.

He stated that the group “has become weak and isolated in Lebanon.”

These remarks came a day after direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington, which the Israeli government described on Wednesday as a “genuine historic opportunity to end decades of Hezbollah’s influence over Lebanon.”

Lebanon was drawn into the war after Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel on March 2, in response to the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on February 28, the first day of the Israeli-American war against Iran.

Israel responded with extensive airstrikes across various parts of Lebanon, along with a continued ground incursion into southern Lebanon, even after the ceasefire announced by Washington with Iran on April 8 came into effect.

Identical objectives

In the same speech, Netanyahu stated that Israel and the United States are fully aligned in their objective of containing Iran.

He explained: “Our American friends continuously brief us on their contacts with Iran. The objectives of the United States and ours are identical.”

Netanyahu added: “We want to remove enriched materials from Iran, we want to eliminate the enrichment capability inside Iran, and of course, we want to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.”

Earlier, the White House announced that the United States is holding discussions regarding a second round of negotiations with Iran in Pakistan.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told the media: “These discussions are ongoing (…) and we are optimistic about the prospects of reaching an agreement.”

She added that it is “very likely” that any further round of talks will be held in Islamabad.