Rubio says Israel-Lebanon peace deal is achievable but Hezbollah is a problem

AI Summary

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism about the potential for a peace deal between Israel and Lebanon, but identified Hezbollah as a significant barrier to achieving this goal. He stated that the issues at hand are not between Israel and Lebanon themselves, but rather stem from Hezbollah's influence in the region.

WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that peace between Israel and Lebanon was achievable but that Lebanese militant group Hezbollah was a problem. "By and large, I think a peace deal between Lebanon and Israel is imminently achievable, and should be," Rubio told reporters in a White House press briefing. "The problem with Israel and Lebanon is not Israel or Lebanon, it's Hezbollah." (Reporting by Steve Holland and Kanishka Singh in Washington; editing by Michelle Nichols)