On eve of direct Jerusalem-Beirut talks, Israel vows to maintain presence in Lebanon

On the eve of the fifth round of US-brokered negotiations in Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to maintain Israel's presence in Lebanon, stating that the IDF would not withdraw. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati asserted that no "other party" would negotiate for Beirut, following Iran's insistence that a halt to Israeli strikes in Lebanon is a precondition for its own talks with the US.

Based on initial report · will update when full text is available