Lebanon Arrests ‘Israeli Agent’ Whose Intel Led to Assassination of Top Hezbollah Officials

Lebanon and Israel are engaged in U.S.-brokered talks in Rome, seeking progress on a framework agreement for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. The negotiations follow five rounds of discussions and aim to establish an end to the ongoing conflict, the disarmament of Hezbollah, and the deployment of Lebanese troops in the south. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar expressed readiness to move forward with implementing troop withdrawals from two designated "pilot zones," contingent on Hezbollah's absence from these areas and the Lebanese army's ability to maintain them as neutralized zones. However, expectations for a breakthrough are tempered by Hezbollah's outright rejection of the agreement, despite pressure from the Lebanese government. A Lebanese diplomatic source indicated the army is prepared to take control of areas as Israeli forces withdraw. Meanwhile, Israel's military has continued limited strikes and demolitions in occupied villages, according to Lebanese state media, with the war having claimed over 4,300 lives since early March, as per Lebanese authorities. Analysts suggest the chances of a significant breakthrough in Rome remain limited.

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ready to move forward implementing these two pilot zones