Lebanon president says Israeli detonations 'direct threat' to Israel deal

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Friday that Israeli army detonations near the Unesco-listed Beaufort castle in southern Lebanon overnight were a "direct threat" to a recent framework deal agreed with Israel. Aoun said the explosions "are an extremely dangerous escalation", according to a statement from his office, adding that they "represent a direct threat to the process which was launched as part of the framework agreement". He noted that their timing ahead of another round of talks with Israel in Rome next week "sends negative messages".