U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of U.S. diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions between the countries, a U.S. official said on 31 May.
According to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Washington proposed a clear sequence of actions aimed at de-escalation: Hezbollah should cease all attacks on Israel. Israel would instead refrain from escalating its operations in Lebanon. This will create space for gradual de-escalation and cessation of hostilities.
The official noted that Hezbollah is acting in the interests of Iran, not the Lebanese people, adding that Tehran seeks to prolong instability in Lebanon in order to later claim a role in resolving the crisis.
“The United States does not expect Israel to tolerate constant attacks by a terrorist organisation against its civilians,” the official said.
The quickest way to de-escalate and protect civilians on all sides is for Hezbollah to stop firing immediately, he added.
On 31 May, the Israeli military said it had expanded its ground operations in southern Lebanon to additional areas and that its forces had crossed the Litani River to reinforce Israeli military positions in the region.
A ceasefire between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group, which the United States considers a terrorist organisation, officially went into effect on April 17 but has been largely unenforced as both sides accuse each other of violations.