🇱🇧 AOUN ADVANCES U.S. TALKS AS HAMAS NAMES NEW POLITICAL BUREAU CHAIRMAN AND CAIRO AWAITS ISRAELI RESPONSE
🔸 AOUN AND RUBIO DISCUSS STATE AUTHORITY, DISARMAMENT AND THE TRILATERAL FRAMEWORK: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his Washington visit.
Rubio said: “Met with Lebanese President Aoun today. I commended his courage and his government’s work to reclaim their country and advance towards peace. We discussed implementing the Trilateral Framework. The United States remains committed to supporting this effort and Lebanon’s efforts to deliver security, peace and a better future for the Lebanese people.”
The meeting lasted more than an hour. Key aides reportedly agreed to “extend state authority” and pursue U.S. investment in Lebanon’s energy, telecommunications and transportation sectors, according to U.S. sources cited by Al Jadeed.
The dialogue covered the tripartite U.S.-Lebanese-Israeli framework for phased implementation and territorial withdrawal, alongside a shift toward “separating Lebanon's path from that of Islamabad” and promoting sovereign cooperation with Syria.
U.S. assistance reportedly remains strictly contingent on the “disarmament of militias” and Lebanese army deployment. The U.S. is also proposing an international force composed of American and European troops to support those objectives and eventually facilitate peace with Israel.
Aoun is scheduled to meet Washington-based think tank directors at the Lebanese Embassy on Monday, followed by an embassy-hosted dinner with Lebanese, Arab and American business leaders, politicians and diplomats.
The visit is expected to conclude Tuesday with meetings with the U.S. Secretary of Defense and President Trump to discuss direct negotiations. Aoun’s meeting with President Trump has been described as the highlight of the trip.
🔹 HAMAS ELECTS KHALIL AL-HAYYA AS POLITICAL BUREAU CHAIRMAN: Hamas announced that Khalil al-Hayya was elected chairman of the terrorist organization’s Political Bureau, succeeding terrorist leader Yahya Sinwar.
Hamas said: “Khalil al-Hayya has been elected head of the political bureau, replacing Sinwar.”
🔸 CAIRO AWAITS ISRAELI RESPONSE ON GAZA NEGOTIATIONS: Cairo is awaiting an official Israeli response regarding the fate of negotiations concerning the Gaza Strip.
Al-Akhbar reported claims that “Israel is taking advantage of the tensions in the region to advance its plans and increase attacks on Gaza.”
🛡️ GAZA BORDER SIRENS DETERMINED TO BE FALSE IDENTIFICATION: Sirens sounded in Kfar Aza and Sa’ad. The alert was later determined to have resulted from a false identification.
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