President Joseph Aoun. (Credit:X/@LBPresidency)
BEIRUT — President Joseph Aoun received a call from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during which the two men discussed “the general situation in Lebanon and the region, in light of the latest developments,” according to the Lebanese presidency on its X account.
The call coincides with Friday’s meeting at the Pentagon between Lebanese and Israeli military delegations, as part of direct negotiations between the two countries that have been ongoing since last April under Washington’s sponsorship.
The situation in southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah will naturally be on the table, amid serious escalation by the Israeli army against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa, despite a cease-fire that is supposed to last several more days.
A new round of negotiations, more political in nature and chaired by former ambassador Simon Karam, is also scheduled to take place June 2 and 3 in Washington.
During his conversation with the secretary of state, according to the presidency’s statement, Aoun emphasized “the need to make every possible effort to reach a cease-fire in southern Lebanon, which he considers the indispensable precondition for any further progress, and the only way to create the enabling environment to address the various pending issues.”
For his part, Rubio reaffirmed the U.S. administration’s commitment to continue efforts to consolidate the results of previous Washington meetings, while supporting Lebanon’s stability, independence and sovereignty over all its territory.
The current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has been ongoing since March 2. It was triggered by Hezbollah to support its Iranian ally, who has been under U.S. and Israeli fire since Feb. 28.
This deadly and destructive war has so far left more than 3,300 dead and 10,000 wounded, and dozens of villages in ruins. Aoun, backed by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, has chosen the path of direct negotiations to lead Lebanon out of war, but Hezbollah rejects this process.
