An American Quest for a Ceasefire  . Berri conditions the Israeli initiative first

A senior US official confirmed that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has intensified his contacts with both Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the past 48 hours, in an attempt to advance a new initiative for a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, according to Axios.

These moves come within the framework of accelerated diplomatic efforts through which Washington seeks to prevent the confrontation from sliding into a more dangerous phase, especially after the expansion of military operations on both sides of the border and Israel's invasion of large areas of southern Lebanon and its control of the strategic fortress of Shukif.

According to the official, the US initiative is being put forward as part of ongoing negotiations between the two sides, in conjunction with preparations for a new round of talks in Washington this week, with the participation of Lebanese and Israeli diplomats.

The plan stipulates that Hezbollah will stop its attacks against Israel as a first step, in exchange for Israel refraining from any military escalation in Beirut, which would allow for the creation of space for a gradual reduction of tension and an effective cessation of hostilities, and  the American side believes that this step may constitute a "rare window" to contain the escalation before it expands.

Beirut's position. And Berri's role in the equation

The official pointed out that President Joseph Aoun has shown a clear willingness to support the proposal and work to secure a Lebanese consensus around it, in an attempt to open a negotiation track that would ease the pressure on the home front, but the response of the speaker of the Lebanese parliament, Nabih Berri, came – according to the American version – "elusive and disappointing."

According to the official, Berri stressed that he was able to ensure that Hezbollah adhered to the ceasefire, but stipulated that Israel first take the initiative to cease fire, considering that any unilateral step by the party would be interpreted as a gratuitous concession.

According to Lebanese reports and diplomats, this position comes in light of internal Lebanese complexities that make Berri a pivotal player in any understanding related to the southern front.

US accusations against Hezbollah, Iran

The US official accused Hezbollah of "following Iran's directives" and showing no interest in the interests of the Lebanese, arguing that Tehran seeks to prolong the conflict to later present itself as a party capable of containing the crisis.

He stressed that the United States does not expect Israel to "tolerate attacks that target civilians," stressing that the quickest way to de-escalate and protect civilians on both sides of the border is for Hezbollah to cease fire immediately.

According to observers, this speech reflects a US attempt to pressure the party by holding it responsible for the continuation of the confrontation, at a time when Washington is trying to avoid a large-scale regional explosion.

In a sign that Axios deemed critical, the official said that the failure of Rubio's efforts to reach a ceasefire could prompt Washington to give Israel the green light to resume strikes against Hezbollah targets in Beirut, after the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump had curtailed such strikes in recent weeks.

At the request of a Frenchman. Emergency meeting of the Security Council

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Monday afternoon (19:00 GMT) at the request of France, to discuss the developments in the war in Lebanon following the Israeli occupation army's seizure of the historic Shuqif fortress in the south of the country.

In this context, Egypt on Sunday called on the UN Security Council to stop the Israeli escalation and ground incursions in Lebanon, warning of chaos in the region, this came in a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a recorded speech, about the occupation of the strategic fortress of al-Shukif in southern Lebanon.

Qalaat al-Shukif is one of the most prominent strategic sites in southern Lebanon, and Israeli  forces withdrew from it in 2000 with the end of their presence in what was known as the "security strip", which they established in the south of the country between 1982 and 2000.