Lebanon Proposes Direct Talks with Israel Amidst Escalating Conflict

• Lebanon has proposed direct talks with Israel for the first time in decades, a move considered taboo.
• The proposal comes as Israeli airstrikes rock Beirut and troops advance against Hezbollah, following Hezbollah's entry into the wider Iran war.
• Lebanese officials want fighting to end before talks, but Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar denies any talks are planned.
• President Joseph Aoun offered negotiations, sought funding for Lebanese troops, and reaffirmed commitment to disarm Hezbollah.
• The US, a past mediator, has shown no interest in intervening this time, with officials dismissing Lebanon as a "failed state".