Lead:
Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aati held a telephone call with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, reaffirming Cairo's firm stance that a complete Israeli military withdrawal from Lebanese territory is the essential precondition for lasting stability. The exchange comes amid escalating regional tensions, parallel Iranian-American diplomatic signaling, and renewed Arab League engagement, placing Egypt at the center of a busy multilateral diplomatic moment.
Details:
According to Elbalad and Elfagr, Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aati told Nabih Berri that Egypt's support for Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity remains unwavering. Abdel Aati described a full Israeli withdrawal as the only viable path toward genuine stability, a position Cairo has maintained consistently throughout the post-ceasefire period. Elbalad further reported that Hezbollah accused Israel of continuing to violate the ceasefire agreement, stating that the group reserves its right to defend Lebanon in response.
On the Iranian diplomatic front, Elbalad cited Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as saying that Tehran is approaching its memorandum of understanding with the United States in good faith, while warning that any violation by Washington or Tel Aviv would obstruct the restoration of regional security. Separately, the Iranian-Omani joint committee on the Strait of Hormuz held its first meeting, as reported by Elbalad citing Al-Qahira Al-Ekhbariya, signaling a parallel track of Gulf-adjacent diplomacy that could affect broader regional calculations. Iran also declared that its forces struck eight American military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, a claim reported by Elbalad without independent verification, adding a layer of acute tension to the diplomatic environment.
At the Arab League level, Secretary-General Ahmad Abul Gheit marked ten years in office, emphasizing collective action as the cornerstone of the organization's continued relevance, according to Newsd. Ambassador Hussam Zaki echoed similar sentiments, stressing the importance of resolving intra-Arab disputes pragmatically to preserve Arab institutional unity. Meanwhile, Elbalad reported that Egyptian Defense Minister General Ashraf Salem Zaher met with Suddam Haftar, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Libyan National Army, and the Libyan Chief of Staff, in a meeting reflecting Egypt's sustained engagement with Libyan military and political stakeholders.
The UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, affirmed that Lebanon possesses the capacity to rebuild as a sovereign and stable state, according to Elbalad, lending international institutional weight to the diplomatic momentum around Beirut's future.
Watch For:
Whether Israel responds formally to Egypt's demand for a full withdrawal and how that response shapes the next phase of ceasefire negotiations.
The trajectory of the Iranian-American memorandum of understanding and whether reported strikes on US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain escalate or collapse that diplomatic channel.
Egypt's evolving role as a mediating power between Libyan factions, particularly following the high-level military meeting with Libyan army leadership in Cairo.