Lebanon
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Report: No plan B for south de-escalation between Hezbollah and Hochstein

Sources have told al-Jadeed that Hezbollah is not discussing any plan B with U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein, after reports about such a plan for south Lebanon in case a Gaza ceasefire failed.

"There is no finalized agreement with the Americans except for the clear Lebanese stance on the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701,” the sources said.

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U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon says 'no inevitability to conflict' in south visit

On her first visit to UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura, U.N. Special Coordinator Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert met with UNIFIL Force Commander and Head of Mission Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro and with UNIFIL peacekeepers deployed in south Lebanon.

After visiting the Blue Line, the Special Coordinator stated, “Our joint efforts are aimed at restoring stability along the Blue Line after over eight months of intense exchanges that have severely disrupted tens of thousands of lives on both sides. It is crucial for all sides to stop the firing and for the parties to commit to sustainable solutions in line with Security Council Resolution 1701. There is no inevitability to conflict.”

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Hezbollah's expanding range of weapons

Hezbollah has been drawing on a powerful arsenal since it began exchanging fire with Israel in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas over eight months ago.

As fears of a regional war rise after Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said none of Israel would be spared in a full-blown conflict -- and after Israel said it had approved plans for a Lebanon offensive -- AFP looks at Hezbollah's weapons cache:

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Blinken pushes for diplomatic solution as fears grow of wider Lebanon war

Lebanese media reported early Friday fresh Israeli strikes on al-Wazzani in the country's south, as fears of a regional conflict grew after Israel revealed it had approved plans for a Lebanon offensive and the Iran-backed militants vowed to blanket their foe in rockets.

Israeli artillery later shelled a house in the outskirts of al-Naqoura.

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Hezbollah fires dozens of rockets at Israel after assassination in Deir Kifa

Hezbollah said it fired dozens of rockets into northern Israel Thursday in retaliation for a deadly strike in south Lebanon, a day after a fiery speech from the group's leader.

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Foreign Ministry stresses firmness of relation with Cyprus

Lebanon’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants on Thursday stressed that “the Lebanese-Cypriot relations are built on a rich history of diplomatic cooperation,” after Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah warned Cyprus against allowing Israel to use its air bases to bomb Lebanon in the event of war.

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Report: Hochstein warned Lebanon of US-backed limited Israeli operation

U.S. special envoy Amos Hochstein has warned Lebanese officials that if Hezbollah doesn’t cease its near-daily attacks on northern Israel, it could find itself the target of “a limited Israeli operation,” Israel’s Kan public broadcaster reported on Thursday.

According to the report, Hochstein told the officials that a diplomatic solution was needed to force Hezbollah back from the Israel-Lebanon border, or else Israel could launch “a limited attack with the backing of the United States.”

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Bassil says Israel not Hezbollah root cause of border tensions

Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil said Thursday that the reason behind the security situation is not the presence of Hezbollah but the presence of Israel.

Bassil had blamed Hezbollah many times for starting clashes with Israel, following its war on Gaza.

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Israel-Hezbollah tensions drive fears of widening Gaza war

Fears of a regional war rose Thursday after Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah movement said none of Israel would be spared in a full-blown conflict, and Israel said it had approved plans for a Lebanon offensive.

Experts are divided on the prospect of wider war, almost nine months into Israel's vow to eradicate Hamas, the Palestinian militant group in the Gaza Strip.

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Report: Lebanese officials working with Hochstein on 'plan B'

Officials in Lebanon are working with U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein on a “plan B” regarding the southern front, MTV reported overnight.

The plan “can be improved should (U.S. President Joe) Biden’s proposal (for the Gaza ceasefire) fail and it might convince Hezbollah,” MTV added.

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