Iran negotiators, Vance head for Switzerland but Lebanon fighting continues
Reuters reports (Update in the Middle East):
“The U.S. vice president left for Switzerland shortly after 4 p.m. ET (2100 GMT) on Saturday. Negotiators would likely have a “couple days of talks," Vance told reporters before boarding a plane at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
“I can only be there for a day or two," Vance said. "I think we're going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue."
One of the conditions for starting 60 days of U.S.-Iranian talks on Tehran's nuclear program and other issues is a halt to fighting in Lebanon.
However, Lebanese Civil Defence said that 20 people had been killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Saturday, hours after a truce there took effect.
Israel said it was responding to attacks from Hezbollah, while the Iran-backed group said it would not allow Israel "freedom of movement" in Lebanon.
Israel, left out of the talks, says it is not party to the Iran-U.S. deal, and will keep its forces in the Lebanese territory it occupies.
A U.S. official had said the truce took effect at 4 p.m. (1300 GMT) on Friday, and Israeli and Hezbollah sources confirmed the agreement to Reuters.
The Israeli “broadcaster Channel 12 reported that the prime minister and defence minister had instructed the military to hold fire in Lebanon, but that it would not withdraw from areas it had captured.
FIGHTING IN LEBANON CONTINUES
Lebanon's state news agency NNA said Israeli warplanes and drones had struck locations across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley on Saturday, both Hezbollah strongholds.
An Israeli military official said Hezbollah fired more than 50 projectiles at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon overnight, and that Israel had attacked what it described as Hezbollah targets in response.
A military statement said Israel was committed to the ceasefire and would continue to act against any threat to Israel or its forces.
"All night we heard explosions. We got kind of excited by those statements about a ceasefire, but everything is continuing as usual," said Ofri Valfer, a resident of northern Israel.
"You can hear very loud blasts here, and life goes on alongside that. Hopefully better days will come."
Lebanon's health ministry says 4,057 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since March 2, including medics, women and children, though it does not specify how many of the dead were combatants.
Israeli authorities say at least 32 soldiers and four civilians have been killed in fighting with Hezbollah.”
Excerpt From
“Iran negotiators, Vance head for Switzerland but Lebanon fighting continues”
Reuters
https://apple.news/Augifq6pjR8ys59sS5PEZhw
This material may be protected by copyright.
My comments:
Bolded emphasis mine.
“The U.S. vice president left for Switzerland shortly after 4 p.m. ET (2100 GMT) on Saturday. Negotiators would likely have a “couple days of talks," Vance told reporters before boarding a plane at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
“I can only be there for a day or two," Vance said. "I think we're going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue."
One of the conditions for starting 60 days of U.S.-Iranian talks on Tehran's nuclear program and other issues is a halt to fighting in Lebanon.
However, Lebanese Civil Defence said that 20 people had been killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Saturday, hours after a truce there took effect.
Israel said it was responding to attacks from Hezbollah, while the Iran-backed group said it would not allow Israel "freedom of movement" in Lebanon.
Israel, left out of the talks, says it is not party to the Iran-U.S. deal, and will keep its forces in the Lebanese territory it occupies.
A U.S. official had said the truce took effect at 4 p.m. (1300 GMT) on Friday, and Israeli and Hezbollah sources confirmed the agreement to Reuters.
The Israeli “broadcaster Channel 12 reported that the prime minister and defence minister had instructed the military to hold fire in Lebanon, but that it would not withdraw from areas it had captured.
FIGHTING IN LEBANON CONTINUES
Lebanon's state news agency NNA said Israeli warplanes and drones had struck locations across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley on Saturday, both Hezbollah strongholds.
An Israeli military official said Hezbollah fired more than 50 projectiles at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon overnight, and that Israel had attacked what it described as Hezbollah targets in response.
A military statement said Israel was committed to the ceasefire and would continue to act against any threat to Israel or its forces.
"All night we heard explosions. We got kind of excited by those statements about a ceasefire, but everything is continuing as usual," said Ofri Valfer, a resident of northern Israel.
"You can hear very loud blasts here, and life goes on alongside that. Hopefully better days will come."
Lebanon's health ministry says 4,057 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since March 2, including medics, women and children, though it does not specify how many of the dead were combatants.
Israeli authorities say at least 32 soldiers and four civilians have been killed in fighting with Hezbollah.”
Excerpt From
“Iran negotiators, Vance head for Switzerland but Lebanon fighting continues”
Reuters
https://apple.news/Augifq6pjR8ys59sS5PEZhw
This material may be protected by copyright.
My comments:
Bolded emphasis mine.
