Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has directed his cabinet to begin ceasefire talks with Lebanon “as soon as possible”, a day after his country unleashed the largest-scale attacks yet on its neighbour, killing at least 300 people and injuring 1,150.In an X statement in Hebrew on Thursday, Netanyahu said he had made the request after “repeated calls” from Beirut to open direct talks but confirmed that Israel is still striking Hezbollah – even as analysts warn that the attacks could derail peace talks between the United States and Iran set to begin on Saturday in Pakistan.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listIsrael’s heaviest bombing of Lebanon on Wednesday came without usual warnings, just hours after the US and Iran announced a ceasefire in the US-Israel war on Iran that began on February 28.Strikes continued in Lebanon on Friday morning, although at a reduced pace. Hezbollah, too, has fired missiles into Israel.Experts say Wednesday’s bloody attacks were likely designed to derail Tehran’s talks with the US, as Iran has insisted that halting fire on both Iran and Lebanon would form the basis for any negotiations.Iran-backed Hezbollah began hitting Israel in defence of Tehran, opening up another front in the US-Israel war. Israel says its retaliation and consequent invasion of southern Lebanon are aimed at targeting fighter positions, but thousands of civilians have died, and more than one million people have been displaced.Israel occupied southern Lebanon for 18 years from 1982 in response to armed attacks from Palestinian fighters, and Hezbollah was formed in resistance to that invasion. Advertisement The group has since morphed into a political party represented in parliament, but its armed wing, described as …
