The Israeli army is entering the “deepest level” since the start of ground operations in Lebanon

On Saturday, Israeli forces entered the deepest point inside the territory of ​​Lebanon since the start of ground military operations, before withdrawing again after clashes with Hezbollah militants, according to what was reported by official Lebanese media.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israeli forces briefly took control of a strategic hill in the southern village of Shamaa, which is about 5 kilometers from the border, and destroyed the “Maqam of the Prophet Shimon” and several homes. in the area, but this information has not been independently verified.

A security source told Al-Hurra on Saturday that “Israeli military forces are trying to enter the country for a few meters towards the outskirts of the border town of Shamaa in the western sector of the Lebanese-Israeli border, along with this heavy gunfire. at the site.”

The Israeli army declined to respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press, but confirmed in a statement that its forces “continue to conduct limited and localized operations” in southern Lebanon, which began on about 6 weeks ago.

These developments coincide with intense negotiations to discuss ways to end the boom.

This week, the United States presented a ceasefire proposal, based on UN Security Council Resolution 1701 that ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.

A political source told the correspondent of Al-Hurra that the ceasefire proposal, which the US Ambassador to Beirut Lisa Johnson would report to the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri, consists of 5 pages and 13 points, and is expected that Beirut will deliver his answer to him in the middle. of next week.

In a conversation with the correspondent of Al-Hurra, the former Lebanese Minister for the Lebanese Forces Party, Richard Koyoumjian, pointed out that uncertainty surrounds the details of the points of the proposal that the Lebanese official is studying to make his comments. apply it and make some changes to it. .

He explained that this uncertainty is related to the issue of Hezbollah’s withdrawal from the south of the Litani River if the proposal is accepted by the Lebanese side, and who will confirm that the party did not have tunnels and weapons stores in the south, moreover. on how to act without Hezbollah’s weapons and its infrastructure in the south.

He also pointed out that there is uncertainty regarding the entity that monitors the Lebanese-Syrian crossings to prevent arms smuggling to Hezbollah, and the composition of the International Monitoring Committee that will monitoring the boundaries.

The administration of US President Joe Biden is working on a ceasefire proposal between Lebanon and Israel, according to a set of American-Israeli understandings related to security arrangements requested by Israel, in particular the elimination of Hezbollah military structures, but there are provisions that exist. still waiting.

A Lebanese political source told Al-Hurra channel earlier that research is underway on commitments to implement International Resolution 1701 and the parties that will ensure the full implementation of the resolution , adding that the Lebanese government can request technical assistance and logistics from foreign countries to increase. security control at the borders.

A former member of the Lebanese Parliament, Dr. Fares Saeed, told Al-Hurra TV on Friday that the proposal was preceded by a meeting in the White House between Biden and Trump, so, “I expect that this paper got an American- American. consensus.”

Saeed said that this proposal received the American-Israeli consensus as well, while Arab media circulated through leaks some of the provisions of the proposal, including the preservation of ​​UN Resolution 1701 and not moving it from Chapter Six to Seven, also not making changes to its provisions or replacing it. new resolution, as he said.

But a former American diplomat, Mark Ginsburg, said that “there is no official confirmation that has come out of Washington that there is an agreement between Trump and Biden on the Lebanon file.”

Lebanon’s response to the proposal is expected to be issued on Monday.

On Friday, the head of Lebanon’s caretaker government, Najib Mikati, asked Iran to persuade Hezbollah to accept the ceasefire agreement, while Berri stressed that the proposal does not include any clauses existence that gives Israel the right to intervene within the Lebanese territory, saying: “We will not accept any violation of our sovereignty.”