President Trump is pressing both parties to cease hostilities, a stance echoed by Iran during separate negotiations facilitated by Pakistan.
WHO IS FIGHTING, AND WHY?
The conflict escalated when Israel increased its airstrikes on Lebanon following Hezbollah’s missile attacks on Israel on March 2, shortly after the US-Israeli conflict with Iran began. Israel has since expanded its ground invasion into southern Lebanon, prompting hundreds of thousands of Lebanese to flee areas considered Hezbollah strongholds.
The Lebanese health ministry reports that Israeli attacks have resulted in over 2,080 Lebanese casualties, including 252 women and 166 children. Hezbollah has not disclosed its casualties, but sources informed Reuters on March 27 that more than 400 Hezbollah fighters have died since the start of the conflict.
Hezbollah’s missiles have primarily targeted towns near Israel’s northern border, but have also hit major cities such as Haifa and Tel Aviv, leading to damage and sending Israelis to bomb shelters. According to Israeli sources, two civilians and 13 soldiers have died since March 2.
This conflict follows a 2024 skirmish in which the US brokered a deal to disarm Hezbollah. Despite the Lebanese government’s efforts to monopolize arms, Israel claims these efforts have failed. Hezbollah refuses to disarm, viewing its arsenal as a defense mechanism against Israeli attacks. Israel has continued to strike targets it identifies as Hezbollah depots and fighters since the 2024 agreement.
HOW DID THE TALKS COME ABOUT?
Amid the ongoing conflict, Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun expressed a willingness to directly negotiate with Israel to stop the fighting, even showing openness to normalizing relations. However, Israel initially rejected the offer, considering it too late, given Lebanon’s inability to act against Hezbollah without risking a civil war.
Israel’s stance shifted after the US and Iran reached a ceasefire agreement on April 7. On April 9, Netanyahu announced that Israel would engage in talks with Lebanon.
WHO WILL LEAD THE TALKS?
The discussions in Washington are scheduled for 11 a.m. (1500 GMT), involving Israeli Ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, and Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad. The talks will also be attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, and the State Department’s counsellor, Michael Needham.
The agenda of the talks remains unclear as Lebanon, Israel, and the US have released differing statements. Lebanon’s presidency indicates the focus will be on declaring a ceasefire and setting a timeline for bilateral discussions. Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh emphasizes that a ceasefire is the only topic Moawad is authorized to negotiate. Conversely, Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian states that Israel aims to discuss disarming Hezbollah and fostering peaceful relations, excluding a ceasefire from the agenda.
WHERE DOES ISRAEL STAND MORE BROADLY?
Prime Minister Netanyahu and other Israeli officials have not clarified whether they would reduce ground operations or withdraw from Lebanese positions if negotiations progress. Israel continues to attack Lebanese villages to establish a “buffer zone” against Hezbollah beyond its northern border.
Nonetheless, a senior Israeli official noted that Israel had lessened its attacks ahead of the talks, including refraining from striking Beirut since April 8. Another Israeli official, familiar with cabinet discussions, mentioned that Israel would push for Lebanon to remove Hezbollah ministers from its government.
AND LEBANON?
A senior Lebanese official reiterated that a ceasefire is a prerequisite for further negotiations to achieve a comprehensive agreement with Israel. Lebanon’s decision to enter talks highlights unprecedented domestic opposition to Hezbollah’s armed status. In March, the Lebanese government banned Hezbollah from conducting military activities.
Despite this, Hezbollah remains heavily armed and enjoys significant support from Lebanon’s Shi’ite Muslim community, posing a daunting challenge for Lebanon’s fragile state amid its most precarious situation since the 1975-1990 civil war.
HAVE THE TWO HELD TALKS BEFORE?
Israel and Lebanon lack formal diplomatic ties and have technically been at war since Israel’s establishment in 1948. Israel has a history of military actions in Lebanon, including an 18-year occupation in the south from 1982 to 2000.
In recent years, the two nations engaged in US-brokered discussions in 2022, resulting in a maritime boundary agreement. In December 2025, indirect talks were held with US mediation in Naqoura, southern Lebanon, to reinforce the agreement that ended the 2024 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
