Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stated on Saturday, September 12, in Nabatieh that there would be no new negotiations with Israel at this time. This follows the postponement of the next round of US-brokered talks between Israel and Lebanon, originally scheduled for this month in Rome, to October. The postponement comes as Israeli forces continue to bomb and demolish buildings in southern Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a joint statement on Thursday, September 10, vowing that Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon to prevent Hezbollah from re-establishing its presence in the region.