JERUSALEM, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli military has instructed forces on the ground to prepare for a potential ceasefire in Lebanon that could take effect tonight, Israel's Ha'aretz reported Thursday.
High-ranking commanders were instructed to prepare forces currently deployed in southern Lebanon for a truce, which could begin between 7:00 p.m. (1600 GMT) and midnight, Haaretz reported, citing senior security officials.
A military spokesperson declined to comment on the report.
Israel and Lebanon held their first diplomatic talks since 1993 on Tuesday in Washington, with both sides agreeing to launch "direct" negotiations after the meeting.
The Israeli Security Cabinet convened on Wednesday night to discuss a possible ceasefire and direct talks with Lebanon, but the meeting adjourned without any announcement on the issue.
A previous ceasefire in Lebanon, which had been in place since November 2024, was characterized by near-daily Israeli strikes in the country. The fragile truce collapsed on March 2, when Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel in support of Iran, triggering intensified Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon. ■
