Key facts
- Lebanese military delegation to meet Israeli officials in the US on Friday.
- Lebanon will demand a complete ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories.
- Brigadier General Georges Rizkallah will lead the Lebanese delegation.
- The talks aim to de-escalate tensions and prevent attacks on Beirut.
A Lebanese military delegation is traveling to the United States for security talks with Israeli officials at the Pentagon on Friday, October 20, amid intensified Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon. The delegation, led by Brigadier General Georges Rizkallah, will present Lebanon's demands for a comprehensive ceasefire and Israeli troop withdrawal from occupied territories. The talks come after renewed Israeli airstrikes, including one on Monday that killed 11 people in Mashghara, and heightened threats against Beirut. Hezbollah has also increased its military operations against Israeli forces. The US has recently imposed sanctions on Lebanese political and military figures affiliated with Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, reportedly to pressure them into direct negotiations with Israel. Lebanon aims to achieve de-escalation and a complete ceasefire through diplomatic means.