Lebanon prepares for next round of talks with Israel in Rome

Lebanon sends an expanded delegation to Rome to participate in the next round of US-mediated talks with Israel, AzerNEWS reports.

According to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, the delegation will be headed by diplomat Simon Karam and will include military experts, ambassadors, lawyers, and economic advisers.

Beirut will insist on a complete halt to Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon during the talks.

On June 26, Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement in Washington under US mediation. The document is aimed at suspending hostilities. The agreement provides for the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces and the disarmament by Lebanese forces of Hezbollah units in designated "pilot zones."

The pilot zones include the area around the town of Zaqtar al-Gharbiya, as well as the villages of Frun and Srifa.

Ahead of the negotiations, Dmitry Gendelman, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said progress under the framework agreement was possible only if concrete steps were taken to disarm Hezbollah.

"As long as the threat remains, the Israeli army will continue carrying out its missions along our northern border," he said.