The war in Gaza and its extension to southern Lebanon, along with the presidential election, are two main pillars troubling the Lebanese people. Therefore, the United States, France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar, members of the quintet group, are trying to end the presidential vacancy crisis. Discussions revolve around the upcoming visits of U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein and French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian to Lebanon, which were interpreted as initial signals towards solutions in the files of southern Lebanon's border demarcation and the presidential election, according to "Al-Anbaa" newspaper.
It was noted that following British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, there will be an upcoming visit, the first for new French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné to Lebanon, indicating that diplomatic efforts are beginning to accelerate towards something that may materialize soon.
The conversations held by Cameron with Speaker of the House Nabih Berri, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, according to "Al-Anbaa," indicated that London is prepared to actively contribute to enhancing the army's presence in the south so that the state can establish its legitimacy in the area where the UNIFIL forces operate. He stated: "You must cease fire in the south today before tomorrow to avoid very dangerous repercussions," because it is not guaranteed that if the war in Gaza stops, Israel will halt its military operations in Lebanon.
Additionally, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin mentioned that the Pentagon does not foresee a full-scale conflict between Israel and Hezbollah erupting, although he stated that the current moment is a dangerous time in the Middle East. However, he emphasized that Washington is working to prevent the broader conflict from escalating. Austin announced that the management of tensions between Israel and Hezbollah has been handled skillfully.
