Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister indicated that a suspension of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel could be announced soon following his recent discussions with Washington’s regional envoy, Amos Hochstein.
In a Wednesday interview with Al-Jadeed, interim Lebanese leader Najib Mikati expressed he was "cautiously optimistic" about a possible 60-day armistice between the warring parties being implemented before next week’s elections in the United States.
“Hochstein, during his call with me, suggested to me that we could reach an agreement before the end of the month and before Nov. 5,” he told the television station. “We are doing everything we can, and we should remain optimistic that in the coming hours or days, we will have a ceasefire.”
Mikati's comments coincided with the release by Israel’s Kan public broadcaster of details regarding what it claimed was a White House draft proposal that asks the IDF to withdraw from southern Lebanon in exchange for the Islamic Republic-backed militia relocating north of the Litani River.
Following this initial measure, Lebanese army personnel would deploy to the vacated area to secure the border and confiscate any residual Hezbollah property. They would also remain in the location to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which designates Beirut’s armed forces as the only authorized military allowed to operate north of Israeli territory.
The report noted that at the end of the 60-day preliminary phase, Israel and Lebanon are expected to collaborate with a U.S.-led monitoring group to ensure stability along the international boundary. This oversight contingent will include representatives from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
While there has been no comment from Jerusalem on the matter, media coverage in the Jewish state has suggested the country’s leadership is confident that their operational goals in Lebanon have been completed.
Related Story: Sirens Sound South of Tel Aviv as Hezbollah Continues Rocket Barrages
