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Iran suspends negotiations with US in protest at Israeli escalation in Lebanon

Iran's Tasnim news agency said Tehran was suspending all exchanges with mediators in peace talks with the United States on Monday, blaming Israel's ongoing invasion of Lebanon.

"Given the continuing crimes of the Zionist regime (Israel) in Lebanon and considering that Lebanon was one of the preconditions for the ceasefire and that this ceasefire has now been violated on all fronts, including Lebanon, the Iranian negotiating team is suspending dialogues and exchange of texts through mediators," Tasnim reported.

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Hezbollah says still fighting Israeli troops near south Lebanon's Beaufort castle

Hezbollah said its fighters were still battling Israeli troops near south Lebanon's Beaufort castle on Monday, a day after Israel said it seized the strategic fortress and troops raised the Israeli flag there.

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Aoun says negotiations may take time but are the only option

Negotiation with Israel is "safer than war, as we have witnessed and continue to witness the horrors and consequences of war," President Joseph Aoun said Monday.

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EU calls on Israel to 'stop military escalation' in Lebanon

The European Union on Monday urged Israel to halt its military operation in Lebanon, after Israel seized the strategic Beaufort Castle and said it would resume strikes on southern Beirut.

"We call on Israel to stop its military escalation in Lebanon and to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity," EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni said.

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Iran warns Israel and US against 'violating ceasefire' in Lebanon

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Monday that attacking Lebanon violates the ceasefire "on all fronts," warning that "the U.S. and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation," after Israeli officials threatened to bomb Beirut's southern suburbs.

"The ceasefire between Iran and the US is unequivocally a ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon. Its violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts. The US and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation," Araghchi wrote on X.

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Macron stresses to Trump importance of 'robust ceasefire' in Lebanon

France's President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday he had encouraged his US counterpart Donald Trump to pursue his "determined efforts" to reach a ceasefire deal with Iran to end the Middle East war.

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What will Israel target in Beirut's southern suburbs?

The scope of the authorization granted to the Israeli army for the expected attack on Beirut's southern suburbs remains unclear, Israeli newspaper Maariv reported on Monday.

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Israel defense minister says 'no calm in Beirut' unless Hezbollah stops attacks

Israel's defense minister said Monday there would be "no calm in Beirut" if Hezbollah attacks continued and vowed to establish a military-controlled zone in the area of south Lebanon's Litani River.

"The Dahieh in Beirut is no different from the communities in northern Israel -- if there is no calm in the north, there will be no calm in Beirut," Israel Katz said in a statement released by his office, referring to the Beirut southern suburb and Hezbollah stronghold where he had earlier Monday ordered strikes.

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What to know as Israeli forces' historic Lebanon incursion complicates an Iran deal

Israeli forces are making their deepest incursion inside Lebanon since they withdrew from the country over a quarter-century ago, despite a nominal U.S.-brokered ceasefire and the first direct talks between the countries in decades.

The Israeli advance presents a challenge in the emerging deal to extend the Iran war ceasefire as Tehran wants any agreement to end fighting in Lebanon, too. Qatar called it a "dangerous escalation." Germany's foreign minister said it was cause for serious concern, according to German press agency dpa. There was no comment by the United States.

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Berri asks 'who will force Israel' to comply after US demands Hezbollah halt attacks first

Israeli troops have captured a strategic mountain topped with a Crusader-built castle in southern Lebanon in the deepest incursion into the country in more than a quarter-century, the military said Sunday, while U.S. Secretary of State spoke to Lebanese and Israeli leaders in an effort to keep negotiations going.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to propose a fresh path to continue ongoing negotiations, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic conversations. Under the proposal, Hezbollah would halt all attacks on Israel and Israel would refrain from escalating military operations in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, according to the official.

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