Prior to departing India, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a deal to end the war with Iran could be reached “today,” while stressing that Israel has the right to defend itself against any attack. 

Politically, after threats by Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem on Sunday to topple the Lebanese government, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded: “We condemn the reckless call by the party to overthrow the democratically elected government.”

Rubio stated that “Hezbollah ignored the Lebanese government’s calls to respect the ceasefire,” noting that “the party continued firing on Israeli positions and transferring fighters to the south.”

He added: “The Lebanese government is working on recovery, reconstruction, and securing aid,” stressing that “the Lebanese government has the full support of the United States.”

The Pentagon Opens the Security Path Between Lebanon and Israel

According to sources familiar with the preparations for the security meeting between Lebanon and Israel at the Pentagon, the Lebanese military delegation is heading to Washington with a clear position centered on a key demand: establishing a ceasefire and halting Israeli violations, arguing that any further discussions remain impossible without first achieving this.

The sources told Annahar that the delegation will stress to the Americans that Israel’s continued occupation of the five border points is hindering the full deployment of the Lebanese army along the southern border and preventing the complete extension of state authority in the area.

The delegation will also present the measures taken by the Lebanese army since its deployment in the south following the November 2024 agreement, explaining that it carried out its duties with limited capabilities and under complex field conditions. It will further note that the military institution paid a human cost during operations to dismantle weapons and mines, with more than 12 soldiers killed and several others wounded while carrying out these missions.