[1andrew1]

Analysis: Israel-Lebanon talks a genuine achievement by Trump's team

There is a "rare buzz" in the US State Department in Washington ahead of talks between Israel and Lebanon, which are expected to get under way in a matter of minutes.

That's according to our US correspondent Mark Stone reports.

Israel's ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, and his Lebanese counterpart, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, will hold discussions alongside US secretary of state Marco Rubio later (see 13:32 post).

"Today is a genuine achievement of the Trump administration," Stone said.

"It is a demonstration of the power of President Trump, because I think it's fair to say that Netanyahu would not have agreed to send his ambassador here to sit around a table with the Lebanese ambassador had Trump not told him to.

"So, in that sense, this is important."

While a major breakthrough is unlikely, it marks the beginning of talks that must be viewed as "hugely symbolic", Stone said.

https://news.sky.com/story/iran-war-...rvice-13509565