US Ceasefire Push To End Israel-Hezbollah War Stalls As Tel Aviv Ramps Up Offensive In Beirut: Report

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The latest US effort to secure a ceasefire in Lebanon has stalled as Israel widens its ground offensive and requests approval from Washington to carry out large-scale strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut.

Citing sources, Axios reported on Monday that for the past several weeks, Washington had discouraged Tel Aviv from striking Beirut as part of a broader effort to lower tensions. However, a US official has now hinted that the stance could soften and added, "The US does not expect Israel to absorb ongoing attacks on its civilians by a terrorist organization."

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President Donald Trump 's administration's de-escalation effort in Lebanon has been partially motivated by its desire to reach a deal with Iran, after Tehran listed an end to the war between Israel and Hezbollah as one of the conditions in the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU).

Marco Rubio speaks with Israeli PM, Lebanon's president

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in the last 48 hours, has spoken to both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun to try to push forward a new ceasefire initiative, a US official said. Additionally, a Lebanese official confirmed that Rubio raised the initiative with Aoun.

According to the US official, the basic idea of the conversation was that Iran-backed Hezbollah would halt its missile and drone attacks against Israel, and Tel Aviv would avoid escalation in Beirut. The official also stated that the Lebanese president was supportive and asked the speaker of Lebanon's parliament, Nabih Berri, to press Hezbollah to halt its attacks into Israel. However, Berri, who leads a major Shia party and has links to Hezbollah, gave an "evasive and disappointing" response, suggesting that Israel should stop firing first.

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Trump and Rubio have announced several ceasefires over the last two months between Israel and Lebanon; however, they have existed mostly on paper, with both Tel Aviv and the Iran-backed group violating them.

Rubio's latest ceasefire push comes in the context of ongoing negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, which have yet to yield a breakthrough.

According to a Lebanese official, neither Hezbollah nor Israel wants a ceasefire, and Washington has not taken any strict action to prevent the Israeli PM from escalating his ground offensive.

On the other hand, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC ) has been urging Hezbollah to escalate to gain a bargaining chip in the US-Iran talks, the Lebanese official contended.

Israel-Hezbollah launch strike, push ceasefire further away

The development comes a day after Israel expanded its ground offensive in Lebanon, with its broadest incursion into the country in a quarter of a century, as Hezbollah, Iran's most powerful regional ally, stepped up its attacks on Israel's north, Bloomberg reported.

Citing the Israeli military, the report noted that Hezbollah fired over 300 projectiles at its soldiers in Beirut and at northern Israel over the weekend. The latest escalation has shattered a brittle ceasefire declared after the Tehran-backed group attacked Israel in response to its war on Iran, which it launched with the US in late February.

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Last week, Israeli and Lebanese military officials met at the US Pentagon to discuss a possible ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the disarming of Hezbollah, and the deployment of the Lebanese armed forces in southern Lebanon.

According to Axios, later this week, diplomats from both countries are expected to meet at the State Department for another round of talks.

Lebanese PM slams Israeli strikes

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on May 30 reaffirmed the government's determination to end the war, safeguard Lebanon, and prevent the country from becoming "a mailbox and an open arena for the conflicts of others."

"Israel is not targeting specific sites; it is pursuing a policy of total devastation," Salam was cited as saying by the NNA news outlet, adding that its actions constitute "not only a violation of Lebanon's sovereignty but also an attempt to erase history."

Earlier, on May 28, Salam also slammed Israel for its latest military offensive in Beirut. In a post on X, he wrote, "Nothing can justify the ongoing assaults on my regions of Tyre and Nabatieh and the destruction of their historical landmarks, nor the continuous threats targeting our peaceful people there, nor the repeated calls for them to leave their homes and abandon their livelihoods, amounting to collective punishment condemned by all international norms and laws."

Hezbollah began firing rockets and drones at Israel after Israel entered a wider conflict with Iran and carried out an assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Israel answered with airstrikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon that has evolved into a substantial occupation, while Hezbollah has pushed the reach of its missile and drone strikes deeper into Israeli territory.

Key Takeaways

The US is attempting to mediate a ceasefire, but both Israel and Hezbollah show little willingness to halt hostilities. Israel's military strategy appears to prioritize total destruction over targeted operations, complicating peace efforts. The conflict is influenced by broader geopolitical dynamics, including US-Iran relations and regional power struggles.

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