Israeli military activity in Lebanon continues despite talks scheduled for next week

Israeli army's military activities in Lebanon continue despite an agreement between Tel Aviv and Beirut to hold a meeting on April 14 to secure a ceasefire and launch direct talks.

The Israeli warplanes breached the sound barrier over the Sidon area in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported on Saturday.

They also breached the sound barrier while flying at low altitude over Beirut, its suburbs, and other regions. The Israeli army also carried out a "large explosion" in the Markaba-Bani Hayyan area.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah targeted the Ya’ara barracks with a rocket barrage and hit a gathering of Israeli soldiers and military vehicles in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel.

While simultaneously attacking Iran, Israel has carried out an expanded offensive in southern Lebanon since a cross-border attack by Hezbollah on March 2, despite a ceasefire that took effect in November 2024.

On Friday evening, the Lebanese presidency announced that Lebanon and Israel have agreed to hold their first meeting on April 14, Tuesday, at the US State Department in Washington, with the aim of securing a ceasefire and initiating direct talks.

The expected talks come as Iran and the US are set to hold rare direct talks in Islamabad to end a war that started on Feb. 28 with the US-Israeli strikes on Iran. A ceasefire mediated by Pakistan took effect earlier this week.