Israeli minister says Netanyahu to speak with Lebanese President Aoun

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to speak by telephone with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday, according to an Israeli minister, as fighting rages between Israel and Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon.

Gila Gamliel, Israel's minister for innovation, science and technology, made the announcement on Israeli army radio on Thursday, hours after US President Donald Trump announced that "leaders" from both countries would hold talks.

The call on Thursday would be the first known telephone conversation between Netanyahu and Aoun. According to Trump, the talks would be the first Israeli and Lebanese leaders for 34 years.
However, sources in the Lebanese president’s office said they had no information regarding a conversation.