Pakistan, June 1 -- The United States has renewed calls for an immediate halt to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, with a senior US official saying that the Iran-backed group must stop its attacks first to create conditions for de-escalation.

Read More: Talks between US and Iran continue - but doubts remain

According to the official, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently held discussions with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border.

The official said Washington had proposed a sequence under which Hezbollah would cease all attacks on Israel, while Israel would refrain from expanding military o...