Israel's Airstrikes on Lebanon Cast Shadow Over Cease-fire Negotiations

[Anchor]

Just as there was hope for peace in the Middle East, the sound of artillery continues to echo. This is because Israel has not ceased its airstrikes on Lebanon. Although President Trump personally intervened to broker a truce, Israel resumed its bombardment just hours later. Subsequent negotiations between the United States and Iran now face inevitable difficulties.

For our first report, here is Gwak Sang-eun.

[Reporter]

Even after the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war on June 17, Israel and the pro-Iranian militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon did not stop their hostilities.

As the conflict intensified, leaving at least 47 dead and nearly 100 injured, and Iran refused further negotiations, claiming a violation of the MOU that specified a cease-fire in Lebanon, U.S. President Donald Trump personally pressured Israel. A new cease-fire was narrowly agreed upon at 4:00 PM local time on June 19.

[Donald Trump / U.S. President (Interview with The Axios Show) : I have a good relationship with Netanyahu. But we have to keep them a little bit 'sane.' (Can you control Israel's attacks on Lebanon?) Yes, I will. (How?) They respect me a lot.]

However, rendering President Trump's declaration meaningless, Israel has once again thrown cold water on the peace discussions.

In the early hours of June 20, Israel deployed fighter jets and drones to strike over 10 locations in southern Lebanon, resulting in 5 deaths.

The subsequent negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, which were being pushed forward by Trump's Middle East envoy Witkoff and son-in-law Kushner in Switzerland, have also hit a roadblock.

The two countries were scheduled to hold their first working-level talks in Switzerland on June 19 to discuss nuclear issues and the lifting of sanctions, but the talks were ultimately canceled due to the situation in Lebanon, and no follow-up schedule has been set.

U.S. intelligence authorities believe that Israel will continue to be an obstacle to peace negotiations.

Citing an intelligence report, The Washington Post stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, facing a general election this fall, is under pressure from hardline domestic public opinion to continue military operations in Lebanon, and that he will not abandon these operations for the sake of his political survival.

(Video reporting: Chae Cheol-ho)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.