Israel-Lebanon talks delayed to October, US official says

The next round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon in Rome has been delayed until October, a US official said on September 11.

The talks had been expected in early September. The official, speaking anonymously, said Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors would instead meet at the State Department in Washington next week to discuss developments and the continued implementation of a framework deal agreed in June.

The US official said the framework remained the only viable mechanism to restore Lebanon's sovereignty and Israel's security. The arrangement includes the disarmament of Hezbollah, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and deployment of the Lebanese army to the region, beginning in test areas known as pilot zones.

A person familiar with the planning told AFP the delay was caused by several scheduling factors, including preparations for the UN General Assembly, Jewish holidays and a Paris conference in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces.

The announcement came after recent strikes increased in intensity. A day earlier, Israel destroyed tunnels built by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, with the explosion recorded by the US Geological Survey as equivalent to a 4.1-magnitude earthquake.