Lebanese President and US Vice President Discuss Strengthening Israel Ceasefire

Beirut - Lebanese President Joseph Aoun held a telephone conversation with United States Vice President J.D. Vance to discuss efforts to strengthen the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel and to end the military escalation. “The discussion addressed efforts to reinforce the ceasefire in Lebanon, halt Israel’s military escalation, and explore necessary steps towards that goal, including the possible formation of a specific group for that purpose,” the Lebanese Presidency Office said in a statement on social media. On Friday (19/6), Reuters reported, citing a US official, that Israel and the Hezbollah movement had agreed to a ceasefire, which came into effect on Friday at 4 p.m. local time. On the same day, a Lebanese military source on the ground told RIA Novosti that Israel continued to launch attacks in southern Lebanon, despite reports of the ceasefire. On Sunday (21/6), Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir said the ceasefire with Hezbollah remains fragile and urged the Israeli military to prepare to resume fighting.