Salam in Damascus to "settle outstanding issues"

Saturday in Lebanon was marked by the visit of Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to Damascus, where he was received by Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

This visit is particularly significant in the current circumstances for several reasons: firstly, the outstanding issues between the two countries, such as border security, the resolution of the issue of Syrian prisoners in Lebanon, and others; secondly, the Israeli offensive in southern Lebanon, even as Israeli incursions into southern Syria have taken place in recent months; and finally, the context of the direct negotiations process between Lebanon and Israel, initiated by the Lebanese authorities and sponsored by Washington, within which Lebanon would benefit from expanding its contacts in the region.

Not to mention that Syria has recently dismantled, on several occasions, networks that Syrian authorities say are linked to Hezbollah and which, according to them, were working to destabilize the Damascus regime, at a time when Lebanese authorities are struggling to disarm Hezbollah and regain control of Lebanese territory.

At the close of his brief visit to Damascus, Nawaf Salam asserted that the visit aimed "to strengthen bilateral relations at all levels," emphasizing that "the talks allowed for the discussion of outstanding issues." In a statement to the press, he specified that the two countries had suffered from mutual interference in the past, that they had turned "a new page," and that he was there to "move relations forward."

The Prime Minister specifically mentioned “the common challenges facing Lebanon and Syria within the context of rapid regional developments,” as well as the issues of Syrian prisoners in Lebanon (in accordance with an agreement to return them to Syria, which is currently being implemented), the fate of Lebanese detainees in Syrian prisons of the former regime, whose whereabouts remain unknown, and the fight against smuggling across the borders of both countries.

And, of course, the “safe and dignified” return of Syrian refugees to their country. Lebanon hosted nearly two million of them during the Syrian war, and hundreds of thousands remain within its borders.

Israeli strikes of rare violence

While the Prime Minister was busy “strengthening” relations with the eastern neighbor, the southern one continued to bomb an increasing number of Lebanese towns and villages.

Saturday was even more violent and deadly than the days that preceded it. It began with an Israeli call for the evacuation of nine more villages in the south. Israeli strikes continued throughout the day, in the south and in the Bekaa Valley, including in Nabi Chit, resulting in several more deaths and injuries, adding to the already heavy toll of over 2,700 victims since March 2.

The most notable strike on Saturday was the one that targeted a car passing through Jahiliyeh, a town in the Chouf Mountains of Mount Lebanon, the first such attack since the start of the war on March 2. Three people in the car were killed. Adding to this the numerous drone strikes that targeted vehicles and buildings outside the border region, in the Sidon area and further north, should we conclude that the Israelis are expanding their offensive in Lebanon?

Hezbollah is not to be outdone: on Saturday, it intensified its drone strikes toward northern Israel, particularly targeting military gatherings.

These "explosive" drones pose a real challenge for the Israelis because they are difficult to detect, and they injured at least two people in the north of the country: an officer and a soldier, the latter seriously wounded according to the Israeli army.

The Iranian response is still pending

On the Iranian front, the day was relatively quiet. US President Donald Trump stated Friday evening that he was awaiting an Iranian response to the latest American proposal, which has apparently not yet been given at the time of writing.

Is Iranian diplomacy trying to set its own pace, or have the internal divisions within Iran become too significant to produce a clear response to the American proposals? This second option, at least, is the one favored by an American report relayed by the media.

A key takeaway this Saturday: the skepticism expressed by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who voiced his doubts about the "seriousness of American diplomacy in the ongoing negotiations for a solution to the conflict in the Middle East," citing "multiple ceasefire violations."

Exchanges of fire had taken place the previous day in areas near the Strait of Hormuz, still