Israel and Lebanon told the White House they are committed to ceasefire
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Israeli soldiers patrol a settlement in Israel near the Lebanese border on Dec. 2. Photo: Amir Levy/Getty Images
Israel and Lebanon both told the White House on Monday that despite the recent flare-ups on the border, they are committed to the ceasefire agreement and want it to continue, sources with knowledge of the issue said.
Why it matters: The Biden administration has been concerned the fragile ceasefire in Lebanon could unravel after Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire in recent days, U.S. officials said.
- The Biden administration has privately expressed concern to the Israelis about several of their strikes in Lebanon in recent days.
- "The Israelis have been playing a dangerous game in recent days," a U.S. official told Axios.
Driving the news: The Israeli air force conducted several airstrikes in recent days against Hezbollah operatives in southern Lebanon.
- On Monday, Hezbollah fired two mortar shells toward Israel Defense Forces (IDF) positions on the border with Lebanon. It was the first Hezbollah attack since the ceasefire was announced last week.
- Israel retaliated with a wider attack later on Monday, striking "Hezbollah terrorists, dozens of launchers, and terrorist infrastructure throughout Lebanon," the IDF said in a statement.
Behind the scenes: Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer met on Monday at the White House with national security adviser Jake Sullivan and told him Israel wants to maintain the ceasefire, one Israeli official and a source with knowledge of the meeting said.
- Sullivan told Dermer Israel has the right under international law to defend itself against direct threats from Lebanon, the source with knowledge of the meeting said.
- President Biden's senior adviser Amos Hochstein spoke on Monday to Lebanese and Israeli officials who stressed their commitment to the ceasefire, the source said.
- The source added that Hochstein told both Israeli and Lebanese officials that the U.S.-led ceasefire monitoring mechanism established under the agreement should be notified of violations so that it can address them.
What to watch: U.S. Gen. Jasper Jeffers arrived in Beirut last week to serve as the military co-chair for the implementation and monitoring mechanism, CENTCOM said in a statement.
- The mechanism will also include French military officers and representatives of the Lebanese Armed Forces, the IDF and UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon).
