STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
The ceasefire, so-called, between the United States, Israel and Iran is showing great signs of stress.
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
That's especially true because it's not a ceasefire at all in Lebanon. Israel says it's offensive there is not part of the deal. On Wednesday, it launched its deadliest attacks of the entire war, including on densely populated civilian areas of Beirut, far from places known as Hezbollah strongholds. Many of those strikes came with no warning for civilians and killed more than 300 people.
Today, people are still pulling their dead from the rubble. And Israel has issued new evacuation orders. Under pressure from President Trump and other leaders, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will enter in direct talks with Lebanon. Coming up, we'll speak with a top adviser to the Israeli leader. First, the latest information.
INSKEEP: We go to NPR's Carrie Kahn in Tel Aviv to explain. Carrie, welcome.
CARRIE KAHN, BYLINE: Hi. Good morning.
INSKEEP: OK. So I get that they're longtime enemies, these two neighbors, and it's a big deal for Israel to talk to Lebanon's government. So first, what brought that about?
KAHN: Prime Minister Netanyahu is facing quite a pressure campaign. Iran's foreign ministry says it won't be involved in overall peace talks that are going to be held in Pakistan on Saturday unless this Lebanon issue part is part of the ceasefire agreement. Trump is telling Netanyahu to pull back. And speaking to NBC, Trump said Netanyahu got the message and is, quote, "going to low-key it."
A person briefed on the matter, who was not authorized to speak publicly, tells NPR that Israel has agreed to reduce its military activity and that talks will take place directly between Israel and Lebanon at the ambassador levels. And that will happen in Washington. We don't know exactly when. So as you said, this is a huge deal. The two countries have never had negotiations directly like this before.
INSKEEP: Huge deal, but I'm trying to understand this as an outsider. Israel is fighting with Hezbollah, this armed group in Lebanon, which is not exactly the same as the Lebanese government with whom the Israelis are going to talk.
KAHN: Right. So talks are going to be difficult, for sure. Israel and Lebanon have been in a perpetual state of war since Israel's establishment in 1948. Lebanon's government is very weak right now and doesn't have much control over Hezbollah. Hezbollah, it does hold seats in the government, few. But they always say that the Lebanese leadership and the government doesn't speak for them. And last night, a Hezbollah representative said that it rejects outright direct talks with Israel. So it is going to be tough.
INSKEEP: You're reporting from Israel. Do Israelis want a ceasefire?
KAHN: Well, I just got back from the Israeli side of the border with Lebanon. And I heard repeatedly in those communities that have been hit hard by Hezbollah rockets that they don't want Israel to stop until, they say, Hezbollah is finished, once and for all. I heard that a lot, including from the general manager of the border town of Shlomi. His name is Luchy Yousef (ph). And he said, if Israel were to stop right now, what was the point of the whole war?
LUCHY YOUSEF: It looks like there's no big achievement. We are in the same - almost the same place as we were about 40 days ago.
KAHN: And he says, in a few months, Hezbollah will just be back, rearmed and fighting will resume again as it always does.
INSKEEP: OK, key player here, obviously, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He has signaled that he's willing to back off a little bit in Lebanon. What is he telling his own people?
KAHN: He put out a video last night saying, look, don't worry, I am not backing down.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: (Non-English language spoken).
KAHN: He said, "there is no ceasefire in Lebanon. We are still striking Hezbollah with great force. And we won't stop until we restore your security."
INSKEEP: That doesn't sound like he's low-keying it, to use President Trump's phrase.
KAHN: Not at all.
INSKEEP: NPR's Carrie Kahn is in Tel Aviv. Carrie, thanks so much.
KAHN: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
