US, Lebanon launch deconfliction cell before Israel
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- President Joseph Aoun discussed a "deconfliction mechanism" with US VP JD Vance and Qatar's prime minister in a Monday phone call focused on consolidating the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire.
- Qatar and Pakistan — who mediated the first round of US-Iran negotiations in Switzerland — announced a "deconfliction cell" to ensure the termination of military operations in Lebanon, though they provided no further details on its structure.
- Vance said the mechanism is designed to prevent incidents from spiraling "into a broader escalation" and would require coordination with the Lebanese armed forces, adding that Iran would need to "rein in Hezbollah."
- Israel and Lebanon are set to hold their fifth round of direct negotiations in Washington on Tuesday, the first such talks between the two countries since 1993.
- UNIFIL peacekeepers reported that Sunday was the first day since March 2 that no attempted air strikes were detected from either side, described by Al Jazeera as a "cautious calm" in southern Lebanon.
- Netanyahu pledged Israeli troops would remain in southern Lebanon "as long as is necessary" and act with "full freedom," while Hezbollah condemned the upcoming talks, saying Beirut would be forced to "confiscate Lebanon's sovereignty."
- Since the latest conflict began in March, Israeli attacks have killed at least 4,175 people, wounded 12,164, and destroyed more than 11,000 buildings, with direct damage estimated at $1.38 billion, per UN and Lebanese research figures.
Why it matters: The deconfliction cell ties the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire directly to US-Iran negotiations by requiring Tehran to restrain Hezbollah — a concrete demand Vance made explicit, and one whose failure would likely end the fragile calm UNIFIL detected on Sunday, the first day without airstrikes since March 2.
