Israeli strike on Tebnine in the Bint Jbeil district, near a Lebanese Red Cross center, on April 28, 2026. Photo received by our correspondent Mountasser Abdallah.
The initial results of the direct negotiations between Lebanon and Washington quickly fizzled. As expected, Hezbollah’s secretary-general, Naim Qassem, sharply criticized and rejected the cease-fire agreement announced overnight from Washington, describing it as a "capitulation" and a "defeat."Subordinate to Iran, Hezbollah, which has consistently refused even the principle of direct negotiations with Israel, clearly does not want Lebanon to pursue a resolution to the conflict independently of Tehran’s wishes. In fact, Tehran has repeatedly insisted that no agreement with Washington to end their confrontation could be reached without a halt to the Israeli offensive in Lebanon, tightly linking the two issues. Given this dilemma, one question arises: Is it in Beirut’s interest to negotiate alone or to rely on Tehran? ...
The initial results of the direct negotiations between Lebanon and Washington quickly fizzled. As expected, Hezbollah’s secretary-general, Naim Qassem, sharply criticized and rejected the cease-fire agreement announced overnight from Washington, describing it as a "capitulation" and a "defeat."Subordinate to Iran, Hezbollah, which has consistently refused even the principle of direct negotiations with Israel, clearly does not want Lebanon to pursue a resolution to the conflict independently of Tehran’s wishes. In fact, Tehran has repeatedly insisted that no agreement with Washington to end their confrontation could be reached without a halt to the Israeli offensive in Lebanon, tightly linking the two issues. Given this dilemma, one question arises: Is it in Beirut’s interest to negotiate alone or to rely on...
Israeli strike targeting military vehicle kills several Lebanese soldiers