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The next round of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, scheduled to take place in Rome next week, has been postponed to October. A US official said the two countries’ ambassadors would meet in Washington to follow up on implementing the framework agreement, while a source familiar with the matter attributed the delay to factors that prevented key figures from participating.
The US State Department headquarters will host a meeting between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors next week, while talks scheduled in Rome have been postponed until October. Discussions focus on Israeli withdrawals from southern Lebanon, the deployment of the Lebanese army and a mechanism for monitoring the areas under negotiation.
Lebanese security forces detained Suleiman Hilal al-Assad and several companions near Baalbek Castle on Friday evening after finding hashish in the group’s possession. Al-Assad is subject to a Syrian request for his extradition over allegations of murder and drug trafficking, while the next steps remain subject to Lebanese judicial and security procedures.
The Israeli army released footage it said documented the destruction of a tunnel network in the Ali al-Taher Heights near Nabatieh, using more than 1100 tons of explosives. Amid the escalation, Washington said daily consultations between Lebanon and Israel were continuing and confirmed that the next round of talks would be held in Rome soon.
A European diplomatic source said the European Union is prioritizing the strengthening of state institutions and the Lebanese army over deploying a new European force in the south, as the future of the international presence is being discussed ahead of UNIFIL’s mandate expiry at the end of December 2026. An aid programme covering equipment, training and border monitoring is being prepared.
The Israeli army announced that it had completed the destruction of more than two kilometres of a tunnel network that it said belonged to Hezbollah in Ali al-Taher Heights in southern Lebanon. Israeli sources said 1100 tons of explosives had been used and dozens of bodies found inside the tunnels.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called on ministries and state institutions to strengthen their presence in southern Lebanon and meet residents’ needs, while Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stressed the importance of deploying the army and providing prefabricated homes to facilitate citizens’ return. The calls came after an Israeli escalation that the Health Ministry said killed at least 19 people over two days.
Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are starting the school year amid concerns over the closure of UNRWA schools and the transfer of their students to other schools. Parents, students and activists warn of overcrowded classrooms, declining education quality and increased reliance on private tutoring as families face economic and service-related pressures.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun warned that any security vacuum in the south could provide a pretext for attacks undermining sovereignty, during a security meeting that discussed conditions in Nabatieh and southern areas. The meeting coincided with Israeli operations including airstrikes, shelling and explosions, while the National News Agency reported that one person was killed in a strike targeting a motorcycle.
Hundreds of residents fled villages in southern Lebanon after Israeli airstrikes killed 11 people, including 3 children, and injured 19, according to official sources. Lebanon’s leadership condemned the escalation, while Hezbollah hinted at a response and called for an end to negotiations with Israel.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced that his account on the X platform had been hacked and that a post condemning Israeli attacks and the bulldozing and destruction in southern Lebanon had been deleted.
