US urges Israel to limit response to Hezbollah
A US official familiar with the Israel-Lebanon negotiations told i24NEWS that Washington has repeatedly asked Israel to calibrate its military response to Hezbollah in a way that supports a political solution and prevents an escalation of tension. The remarks came after the Israeli military targeted Hezbollah positions and infrastructure in southern Lebanon over the preceding 24 hours. The strikes were in response to the detonation of a booby-trapped house that killed two Israeli reservists and injured four others. i24NEWS reported that Israeli political officials prevented a broader response to avoid widening the conflict. Regarding reports of US pressure on Israel, the US official stated they would not comment on private conversations, particularly during ongoing negotiations. They added that, overall, the published reports align with the types of discussions the US has previously held with the Israeli side. The official said the US reminded Israel that even if military action is deemed justified by Israel and Washington publicly recognises Israel's right to self-defence, "you cannot shoot and blast your way to a solution". According to the official, the US has asked Israel on more than one occasion to factor this reality into its decisions. Meanwhile, a US State Department spokesperson said the two sides in the Israel-Lebanon talks have grown closer regarding the necessary steps to advance and expand the process of establishing pilot zones. According to i24NEWS, Washington has also asked Beirut to take concrete steps to disarm Hezbollah, not only in southern Lebanon but across the entire country. In related developments, the Israeli military announced it had targeted Hezbollah weapons depots, a command centre and other infrastructure in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military also claimed its forces have identified thousands of Hezbollah facilities over the past months, including launching positions, observation posts, command centres, underground infrastructure and large weapons depots in civilian villages. In Washington, US Vice President JD Vance denied an Axios report concerning a confrontation between him and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during Netanyahu's visit to Washington. Vance told Fox News that his conversation with Netanyahu was "good and direct". He called Israel a "great partner" for the US, but said the two countries do not always agree on every issue and his duty is to pursue United States interests.