Rome: The US State Department has confirmed that the upcoming round of talks between Israel and Lebanon is set to begin in Rome next week on August 4. This announcement comes as both nations continue to seek a resolution to ongoing tensions and conflicts in the region.
According to Deutsche Welle, a State Department official disclosed that the discussions in Rome will primarily focus on advancing the full implementation of the framework agreement established between the two countries. The agreement aims to bring an end to hostilities, disarm Hezbollah, deploy Lebanese military forces in the southern region of Lebanon, and facilitate the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon through the establishment of "pilot zones."
The agenda for the talks will address "resolving all outstanding border issues," among other critical topics. The official emphasized the importance of the initial pilot zones' experience, which is expected to refine the implementation process and enable expansion in a phased manner.
Despite the framework agreement, Lebanon has reported sporadic Israeli strikes and artillery shelling in its southern territories over the past few days, highlighting the ongoing volatility in the region.