Israeli and Lebanese representatives are scheduled to convene in Washington next week as US President Donald Trump pushes to de-escalate weeks of conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah. Both nations face mounting pressure from Trump to negotiate a ceasefire, a key demand from Iran in parallel discussions planned this weekend in Pakistan.
The conflict escalated when Israel intensified airstrikes on Lebanon amid the US-Israeli confrontation with Iran. This campaign expanded into a ground invasion targeting southern Lebanon, prompting hundreds of thousands of residents to flee areas identified as Hezbollah strongholds. Israeli attacks have resulted in at least 1,888 fatalities in Lebanon.
This current hostilities follow a 2024 conflict period during which the US brokered an agreement aimed at disarming Hezbollah. Subsequently, Lebanon’s government mandated the army to enforce a state monopoly over arms. However, Hezbollah has refused to disarm, viewing its arsenal as vital for national defense against Israeli aggression. Despite the 2024 agreement, Israel has continued strikes against alleged Hezbollah weapons depots and fighters.
In a significant development, Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun expressed readiness to engage in direct talks with Israel to halt hostilities, even suggesting openness to normalizing relations. Initially, Israel rejected this offer, considering it too late and noting Lebanon’s inability to act against Hezbollah without risking internal conflict. Israel’s stance shifted following a US-Iran deal to halt fighting, with Iran demanding Israel cease fire in Lebanon ahead of the Pakistan talks. Subsequently, Trump urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reduce attacks on Hezbollah, leading Netanyahu to announce upcoming negotiations with Lebanon.
The talks will be led by Israeli ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, and his Lebanese counterpart, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, with the meeting set for next week. Meanwhile, Netanyahu appointed Ron Dermer, a former strategic affairs minister and close advisor, to oversee any future negotiations, though Dermer is not expected at the initial Washington meeting. Lebanon selected Simon Karam, a former ambassador to the US, to lead broader talks, but he will also not attend the upcoming session.
Netanyahu stated Israel will maintain attacks on Hezbollah while pursuing two objectives through the talks: disarmament of Hezbollah and a peace agreement with Lebanon. Israeli officials have not clarified if ground operations would be scaled back or if forces would withdraw should negotiations progress. Israel continues bombing Lebanese villages to establish a “buffer zone” beyond its northern border. One senior Israeli official indicated a reduction in attacks ahead of the talks, while another suggested Israel would push Lebanon to remove Hezbollah ministers from its government.
From Lebanon’s perspective, a senior official emphasized that the talks aim to discuss and announce a ceasefire, with the exact meeting date still pending confirmation. Lebanon insists that a ceasefire is a prerequisite for further negotiations toward a comprehensive agreement with Israel.
Historically, Israel and Lebanon have no formal diplomatic ties and remain technically at war since Israel’s founding in 1948. Israel has a history of military incursions into Lebanon, including an 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon from 1982 to 2000, initially targeting Palestinian groups. More recently, the two countries engaged in US-mediated talks in 2022, resulting in a maritime boundary agreement. In December 2025, indirect talks in Naqoura, southern Lebanon, sought to solidify the deal that ended the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah fighting.
