Lebanese media reported on Tuesday afternoon that shortly after 10:00 p.m. local time, a joint American-French statement on reaching an agreement on a cease-fire in Lebanon will be issued. With reference to the Lebanese television al-Jadad, the news website The Times of Israel (TOI) reported about it, writes TASR.
The Lebanese source added that at roughly the same time, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati will issue a statement welcoming the ceasefire. In the meantime, the Israeli security cabinet, which should approve the mentioned cease-fire agreement, has already met at its meeting.
Unnamed Israeli sources claim that the approval of the ceasefire agreement should be announced by US President Joe Biden. The ceasefire is expected to take effect on Wednesday morning, TOI added.
Israel continues its military operation
Despite reports of an imminent cease-fire, the Israeli army continues its military operation against Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon on Tuesday.
TOI said the Israeli military launched a raid in the southern suburbs of Beirut in the afternoon, hitting 20 sites linked to Hezbollah. Eight warplanes carried out this raid, which allegedly lasted only two minutes.
According to TOI, the seven buildings that were targeted were allegedly used by Hezbollah to manage and store funds. The other 13 sites included Hezbollah’s air force center, an intelligence division command room, weapons depots and other military infrastructure. Before carrying out the attacks, the Israeli army issued a warning to civilians living in the vicinity.
At the same time, TOI added that there are also fears of an attack in Israel – sirens warning of a possible rocket attack from Lebanon sounded in the afternoon, for example. in the central Israeli port city of Haifa.
The latest developments in the Middle East were also commented on Tuesday by the foreign ministers of the G7 group, who at their meeting near Rome expressed their full support for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese pro-Iranian movement Hezbollah. They argued that the time had come to arrive at a diplomatic solution to the situation in Lebanon.
The heads of diplomacy of the G7 countries simultaneously condemned the recent attacks on the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and expressed support for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), recalling that it plays a “vital role” in the region.
