Lebanon and Israel officials to meet in US on Tuesday

A senior Lebanese official earlier told the BBC that Lebanon would only take part in talks if a ceasefire was in place.

An Israeli airstrike killed at least 13 members of Lebanon’s State Security forces in southern Lebanon, leading to retaliatory attacks by Hezbollah. Direct talks between Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to begin next week in Washington, with Lebanon demanding a ceasefire as a precondition.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed his cabinet to begin ceasefire talks with Lebanon, a day after Israel's largest-scale attacks on its neighbor, which killed at least 300 people and injured 1,150. Hezbollah, however, has rejected any talks with Israel.

Lebanon intends to take part in a meeting next week in Washington with U.S. and Israeli representatives to discuss and announce a ceasefire. A senior Lebanese official stated that a ceasefire is a precondition to further talks to reach a broader deal with Israel.