The explosion that nearly upended the talks: how escalation with Lebanon was averted at the last moment

The talks between Israel and Lebanon in Rome ended early yesterday after an explosive device detonated near Majdal Zoun and the escalation on the northern border. The Lebanese newspaper 'Nidaa al-Watan' reported that the attack nearly caused the talks to collapse, and that American intervention prevented deterioration. Other media outlets focused on the gap between the positive atmosphere and the deadlock on withdrawal, disarmament, and the oversight mechanism.

The talks between Israel and Lebanon in Rome, which entered their second day, ended early yesterday following an explosive device detonation near Majdal Zoun and the escalation that developed on the northern border. The Lebanese newspaper 'Nidaa al-Watan', affiliated with the camp opposed to Hezbollah, reported that the attack nearly caused the collapse of the round of talks, and that American intervention prevented a broader deterioration. According to Lebanese sources quoted by the newspaper, Hezbollah's lack of cooperation, along with Israel's determination to act against any threat, could lead to an explosion of the situation. In contrast, more independent media outlets, including LBCI and L'Orient-Le-Jour, focused on the gap between the positive atmosphere reported by the Americans and the deadlock on the issues of withdrawal, disarmament, and the oversight mechanism. As of this morning, the talks are expected to resume, but the events in the south have illustrated how fragile the negotiations are, and how any security incident could quickly return the parties to a wider confrontation.

The explosion that nearly upended the talks: how escalation with Lebanon was averted at the last moment