A source close to Hezbollah has said that it has not received any serious initiative or offer for negotiations. Hezbollah’s position is important because any deal without its cooperation will be very difficult for the Lebanese government to implement.
Back in 2024, that last ceasefire, Hezbollah was supposed to have disarmed. It refused to do so north of the Litani River. Israel was supposed to withdraw from Lebanese territory. It did not. It maintains positions inside the Lebanese territory in southern Lebanon.
Lebanon’s president and prime minister are offering direct negotiations with Israel, and that’s a major concession because this is a very divisive issue in Lebanon, Israel being a longtime enemy.
Another important player in Lebanon, the speaker of parliament, Nabih Berri, welcomed the president’s initiative for talks, but he also drew a line in the sand. Berri is considered an ally of Hezbollah. His ministers did vote in the cabinet to outlaw the military wing of Hezbollah, but what he is saying is that “we will not negotiate under fire. Israel’s attacks need to stop, and displaced people need to return to their homes.”
Israel continues to insist that the attacks will not stop unless Hezbollah disarms.
So, both sides really have maximalist demands.
What is clear is that the battlefield is still taking shape. Yes, Israel has air superiority. It is carrying out attacks across the country. It has displaced nearly a million people and killed nearly 1,000 people.
So, all this talk about diplomatic initiatives, whether it’s French or any other initiative, it seems that we’re still not there.
How are China, US allies responding to Trump’s call to send warships?
As we’ve been reporting, Trump has urged China, France, Japan, South Korea and the UK to send warships to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran effectively blocked the critical waterway.
So far, no countries have publicly agreed to Trump’s call.
A spokesperson for the British Ministry of Defence told US media that the UK is “currently discussing with our allies and partners a range of options to ensure the security of shipping in the region”.
Also speaking to US media, Chinese embassy officials said Beijing is calling for hostilities to stop, and that “all parties have the responsibility to ensure stable and unimpeded energy supply”.
Japanese officials told local media Japan won’t dispatch ships just because Trump asked, saying, “Japan decides its own response, and independent judgement is fundamental.”
France has said it is not sending ships. Posting on X, the Foreign Ministry said, “No, the French aircraft carrier and its group are staying [in] the eastern Mediterranean.”
South Korea’s presidential office said on Sunday it would carefully review Trump’s calls and “communicate closely” with the US.
