Strikes on Beirut paused

Israeli strikes on Beirut paused amid "understandings" between US and Israel, source says

From CNN’s Dana Karni in Jerusalem

Israeli strikes on Beirut have paused in recent days amid growing “understandings” between US and Israeli officials, according to a source familiar with the matter.

On Thursday, two Israeli strikes killed at least 22 people and wounded over 100 in the Lebanese capital. But since then there have been no strikes on Beirut. Israeli strikes have, however, continued elsewhere, particularly in southern Lebanon.

US President Joe Biden held a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, their first conversation in almost two months.

A high volume of diplomatic contacts between the leadership of both governments in the days following that call have resulted in “understandings” between Jerusalem and Washington on strikes in Beirut and a potential strike on Iran, the source said.

Israel’s move to refrain from striking Beirut and the US deployment of its THAAD anti-missile defense system to Israel were part of these understandings, according to the source, who declined to confirm if Israel had specifically requested THAAD.

Following the Thursday strikes, the US said it supported Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah while calling for the protection of civilians.

“We continue to press Israel to take all feasible steps to protect civilians throughout its operations, in particular in the densely populated areas of Beirut,” a spokesperson for the State Department said at the time.