Shafaq News – Manama

Israel is prepared to reach a border agreement with Lebanon, US envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack said on Saturday, emphasizing that dialogue between the “neighboring countries’’ is essential.

Addressing the Manama Dialogue forum in Bahrain, Barrack underscored that thousands of missiles in southern Lebanon continue to threaten Israel, urging Lebanese authorities to intensify efforts and bring Hezbollah’s weapons under state control.

“Israel conducts daily strikes in southern Lebanon because Hezbollah’s weapons remain,” he added, cautioning that Israel could respond depending on future developments.

Labeling Lebanon a “failed state,” Barrack acknowledged the Lebanese army’s limited financial and human resources, yet commended the resilience of its leadership.

Despite the November 27 ceasefire, Israeli forces remain positioned at five locations inside Lebanese territory and continue to shell parts of southern and eastern Lebanon, and Beirut’s southern suburbs. Lebanese government data indicate that Israeli strikes since the ceasefire have killed about 300 people and wounded more than 650, including women and children.

Earlier, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem criticized the US role in Lebanon, portraying Washington as a sponsor of aggression rather than an impartial mediator. He also held the Lebanese government responsible for protecting sovereignty, expelling the “enemy,” and stopping violations, by preparing a plan enabling the army to respond effectively to Israeli aggression.