Ortagus in Israel Sunday to discuss preventing Hezbollah rearmament, report says

U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus will visit Israel next Sunday in diplomatic efforts aimed at "maintaining the ceasefire and preventing Hezbollah from rearming in Lebanon," Israeli media reports said.

The report said that Ortagus would discuss in Israel possible approaches that might be adopted to ensure Hezbollah does not rearm in South Lebanon.

Israel has repeatedly bombed Lebanon despite a November ceasefire that brought to an end more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah that culminated in two months of open war.

As part of that deal, Israeli forces were to withdraw from southern Lebanon and Hezbollah was to dismantle its forces in the region.

Under U.S. pressure and fearing an escalation of Israeli strikes, the Lebanese government has moved to begin disarming Hezbollah, a plan which the militant movement and its allies oppose.

Israel says it is attacking Lebanon to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its military structure. Lebanon's President says the attacks are "unjustified" and "unacceptable" and are targeting civilians and industries.