Contacts underway to halt Israeli escalation on eve of Washington talks: Lebanese source

Contacts are underway to stop the ongoing Israeli escalation in Lebanon, on the eve of a third round of talks in Washington between Beirut and Tel Aviv, a senior Lebanese source told Anadolu.

“There are demands for truce guarantees, and the issue is being discussed among the relevant parties,” the source said.

The source expressed hope that “things will proceed well, despite the ongoing field escalation.”

Israel killed at least 15 people, including two children, and wounded several others on Wednesday in 64 attacks across Lebanon, including airstrikes, artillery shelling, and sweeping operations, in new violations of the truce announced on April 17 and set to last until May 17.

Lebanon and Israel held two rounds of talks in Washington on April 14 and 23, as a prelude to peace negotiations.

Israel has been carrying out an expanded offensive on Lebanon since March 2, killing 2,896, injuring 8,824 others, and displacing more than 1.6 million, according to official Lebanese figures

*Writing by Serdar Dincel in Istanbul