Israeli is “not seeking a war in Lebanon” but “will not hesitate if it’s needed,” an Israeli official told Al-Arabiya on Wednesday.

“We welcome any negotiations with Lebanon but without preconditions,” the official added.

Lebanon has been informed by the U.S. administration that it is not concerned with expanding the Mechanism committee or adding civilian experts to it in order to hold indirect negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Informed sources meanwhile told the daily that Washington wants political negotiations between Lebanon and Israel and has said that U.S. envoy Tom Barrack would be willing to oversee the meetings in any capital chosen by Lebanon.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Wednesday affirmed that "reconstruction is a national priority for the entire government," during a meeting with a delegation from the Association of the Sons of the Southern Border Towns.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Wednesday disputed Speaker Nabih Berri’s announcement that Hezbollah “has fully committed to the stipulations of the ceasefire agreement” with Israel.

“This statement is totally untrue,” Geagea said, noting that the agreement’s clauses, especially its preamble, calls for the dissolution of all illegitimate armed groups.

Former U.S. under secretary of state for political affairs and ex-ambassador to Lebanon David Hale, who currently serves as a Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow at the Middle East Institute think tank in Washington, has said that escalation between Israel and Hezbollah is possible but not inevitable.

Speaking about his recent trip to Israel in remarks to Lebanon’s Nidaa al-Watan newspaper, Hale said he did not hear from the Israeli officials that they want to harm Lebanon. He added that the Israelis have confidence in the abilities of the Lebanese leadership represented in President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

Any “Hezbollah attack” will be met with a “powerful response” from Israel and if Hezbollah crosses Israel’s “red lines,” a “broad operation” will be carried out in Lebanon, Israel’s Maariv newspaper quoted the Israeli army as saying on Wednesday.

“We’re currently carrying out a gradual exhaustion of Hezbollah’s capabilities and Hezbollah might reach the red line drawn by Israel within months,” the Israeli army reportedly added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has discussed in closed-door meetings with military leaders warnings and reports described by Israel as serious, indicating that Hezbollah is “continuing its armament and infrastructure rebuilding operations in southern Lebanon,” Israeli media reports said.

These reports also mentioned the alleged smuggling of short-range missiles from Syria, the restoration of buildings in southern Lebanon, and the deployment of local fighters to villages.

One person was killed and another was wounded when an Israeli drone bombed a car in the southern town of Burj Rahal on Wednesday, the National News Agency said.

The strike also caused a state of panic among students in two nearby schools, prompting their parents to scramble to take them home, NNA added.

Hamish Falconer, the UK Minister for the Middle East, has ended a two-day visit to Lebanon, the British embassy said on Tuesday.

An Israeli drone strike targeted a car in the southern town of Kfar Dajjal on Tuesday, killing one person, media reports said.

Despite a November 2024 ceasefire with Hezbollah, Israel maintains troops in five areas in southern Lebanon and has kept up regular air strikes.