A Lebanese military delegation will sit down with Israeli and American representatives in Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday, October 20. The agenda is the June framework, which links the disarmament of the Hezbollah terrorist group to a phased Israeli withdrawal and the deployment of Lebanese troops. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun announced the new round. He said Lebanon's officers will use it to demand a halt to what he called "Israeli escalation" on Lebanese territory.
Before the announcement, Aoun told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Lebanon was prepared to join a military meeting with Israel. Arutz Sheva reported this, citing a source who spoke to the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. Beirut hopes the meeting will secure a ceasefire commitment from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the report said. Beirut also wants the "verification mechanism" expanded so that the Lebanese army can deploy in the "pilot area," according to the same report.
For families in Israel's north, the talks come as strikes continue across the border. On Friday afternoon, the Ma'ale Yosef Regional Council warned residents of the western Galilee and central upper Galilee to expect explosions during the day. The warning followed a briefing from the IDF's Northern Command on planned Israeli Air Force strikes on terror infrastructure in Lebanon. The council said there was no change in the Home Front Command's guidelines for residents. It told them to keep to their daily routine and stay alert for further updates.
