U.S. Middle East Diplomacy

Israel carried out a fresh series of airstrikes across southern and northeastern Lebanon—stretching from Mount Rihan to the Hermel region—and a drone strike near Taybeh that wounded four, targeting Hezbollah infrastructure, launching sites, weapons depots and a training compound, officials said. The strikes came a day before the second meeting of a U.S.-brokered cease-fire monitoring committee, now expanded to include civilian members and international partners. In Paris, Lebanon’s army commander met with U.S., French and Saudi officials to discuss boosting the army’s border presence and a roadmap to disarm Hezbollah, with Lebanon committing to clear the area south of the Litani by year-end and political parties agreeing to a February conference; Speaker Nabih Berri called the strikes a message to that meeting.