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Dear A.,
Israel and Lebanon
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agreed yesterday to begin negotiations to delineate the land border between the two countries, following a meeting with representatives from the United States and France.
According to
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reports , Israeli officials are seeking "to reach normalization" with Lebanon, although that is not a subject of the agreed-upon negotiations.
"Everyone involved remains committed to maintaining the ceasefire agreement and to fully implement all its terms," U.S. Deputy Presidential Special Envoy Morgan Ortagus said. "We look forward to quickly convening these diplomat-led working groups to resolve outstanding issues, along with our international partners."
As a "gesture to the new Lebanese president [Joseph Aoun]," Israel, in coordination with the United States, agreed to release five Lebanese prisoners, including one Hezbollah member.
Meanwhile, Israel is continuing to strike Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in response to violations of the ceasefire agreement by the Iranian-backed terror group.
An Israeli airstrike yesterday killed a Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon who was working to rebuild and rearm the terror group's aerial defense unit, and a separate strike targeted another group of Hezbollah terrorists operating in southern Lebanon.
The United States must increase the pressure on Lebanon and Hezbollah to fully comply with the terms of the ceasefire, and ensure Israel has the resources and support needed to keep its people safe.
China to host nuclear talks with Iran, Russia
China
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will host talks on Friday with Iran and Russia "on the Iranian nuclear issue and other issues of mutual interest," according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu will chair the meeting in Beijing, hosting Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov Sergey Alexeevich and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi.
This announcement comes the same week Iran, Russia and China are holding joint naval exercises in the region.
In recent years, Iran has deepened its strategic relationships with China and Russia, selling millions of barrels of oil to China at discounted prices in violation of U.S. sanctions while selling weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine.
U.S. issues new sanctions on Iran-linked organization
The State Department
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announced today new sanctions targeting "the Foxtrot Network, a transnational criminal organization, and its fugitive leader, Rawa Majid."
"The Iranian regime leveraged the Foxtrot Network to carry out attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets in Europe, including the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, in January 2024. Majid has specifically cooperated with the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security," the State Department said.
"The Department of State, together with the Department of the Treasury, will continue to expose and impose costs on the Iranian regime for its malign activities as part of the Trump Administration’s renewed maximum pressure campaigns," the release adds.
AIPAC thanks the administration for taking this important step. The United States must continue to work to increase the pressure on Iran.
White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff in Qatar
White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff
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arrived in Qatar yesterday to join in negotiations to secure the release of additional hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Hamas continues to reject a U.S.- and Israeli-backed proposal to release more hostages in exchange for an extension of the ongoing ceasefire deal.
Phase One of the deal ended on March 1, with no additional hostages released since, but Israel has not yet returned to large-scale military operations in Gaza.
59 hostages, including 5 Americans, are still held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.
The United States must increase the pressure on Hamas and its sponsors in Qatar, Iran and Turkey to release all the hostages.
Israeli defense minister visits IDF in Syria
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz
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visited IDF troops in Syria yesterday, traveling by helicopter to Mt. Hermon, where the IDF established outposts in December following the fall of the Assad regime.
Israel has said that forces will remain there indefinitely to protect Israeli border communities from threats emanating from Syria. "The IDF is prepared to stay in Syria for an unlimited amount of time. We will hold the security area in Hermon and make sure that all the security zone in southern Syria is demilitarized and clear of weapons and threats," Katz said.
Mt. Hermon is a strategic strongpoint, since it overlooks both northern Israel and Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley, a Hezbollah stronghold.
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An Israeli soldier looks out over Mt. Hermon, in a photo taken yesterday.
Iranian-backed Houthis threaten to resume attacks
Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists
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said today that they will attack "any Israeli vessel" in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait or the Arabian Sea.
Since October 7, the Houthis have launched dozens of attacks against Israel, U.S. Navy ships and commercial vessels.
The Israeli Air Force has raised its alert level due to concerns the Houthis will also resume ballistic missile and drone attacks on Israel itself.
The U.S. military said, "We will do what is necessary to protect and defend U.S. personnel, assets and partners."
The United States must continue to increase the pressure on Iran and its Houthi proxy, including by fully enforcing economic sanctions, interdicting the flow of Iranian weapons to Yemen, and taking military action when necessary to defend American interests.
Continue to
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follow AIPAC on social media for the latest updates.
Jake Braunstein
Director of Policy Communications
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Support our work to keep Israel safe.
The mission of AIPAC is to encourage and persuade the U.S. government to enact specific policies that create a strong, enduring and mutually beneficial relationship with our ally Israel.
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