The historic discussions, which took place in Washington, mark a significant shift as the two countries have historically communicated through intermediaries. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio mediated the talks, according to multiple reports. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun had previously proposed direct negotiations with Israel to stop bloodshed, but Israel ignored the offer until recently, multiple reports indicate. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized direct talks following what he said were repeated requests from the Lebanese government, according to the prime minister.
Hezbollah, which multiple reports describe as an Iran-backed militant group created in the 1980s during Israel's occupation of Lebanon, opposed the talks and launched rocket attacks on northern Israel during the discussions. Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel on March 2, in retaliation for the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and constant Israeli bombing, the group claimed.
Over 2,000 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon since March, with over 1 million displaced, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry and Lebanese authorities. The death toll from Wednesday's massive bombardment had risen to 357, with 1,223 people injured, the Lebanese health ministry reported. The toll is still not final, due to the ongoing removal of rubble and the presence of a large amount of human remains requiring DNA testing, the ministry added. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun said 13 state security personnel had been killed by strikes on the southern city of Nabatieh and condemned the continued attacks. Lebanese authorities said victims of the latest Israeli attacks also included seven members of the same family in the town of Abbassieh and 11 people in Zrarieh. The Israeli military said the wave of attacks across the country had killed at least 180 Hezbollah terrorists from the Lebanese armed group.
A fragile ceasefire is in place between Israel and Lebanon, but Hezbollah has not formally agreed to it, according to multiple reports. A truce took hold on Friday between Israel and Hezbollah, providing relief on both sides, multiple reports indicate. However, Benjamin Netanyahu said there was no ceasefire in Lebanon, according to the prime minister.
Confusion also surrounds the inclusion of Lebanon in a broader US-Iran ceasefire. Pakistan, which mediated the truce, and Iran say Lebanon was included in the ceasefire, according to those countries. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told the BBC on Thursday that Israeli strikes on Lebanon constituted a grave violation of the ceasefire. In contrast, a ceasefire between the US and Iran does not cover Lebanon, according to Israeli and US leaders Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump.
Israel has set clear conditions for peace. Israel plans to occupy a buffer zone in southern Lebanon until threats are eliminated, according to Israeli officials. Israel conditions peace on the disarmament of Hezbollah, according to Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Hezbollah, however, refuses to disarm and wants Israel to withdraw from Lebanon, the group stated.
Diplomatic arrangements for ceasefire negotiations have been taking shape. Israel and Lebanon's ambassadors to the US have agreed in a first phone call to meet in Washington on Tuesday to seek an announcement on a ceasefire and a date to begin direct negotiations, according to the Lebanese presidency. During the call they agreed to the meeting at the US State Department, the Lebanese president's office reported. Delegations will meet on Tuesday to discuss ceasefire conditions, a senior official from the president's office said. If they can agree on conditions for a ceasefire then negotiations will go ahead at a later date and time, the senior official added. A senior presidency official noted that negotiations could only happen with a ceasefire in place.
Israel's ambassador to Washington confirmed that formal peace negotiations would begin with Lebanon, according to the ambassador.
Israel refuses to discuss a ceasefire with Hezbollah, Israel's ambassador to Washington stated.
Lebanon's president declined to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to anonymous sources.
The US-published ceasefire agreement gives Israel the right to self-defense but does not mention similar rights for Lebanon or Hezbollah, according to U.S. officials.
Efforts to establish negotiations have been ongoing since a ceasefire agreement in November 2024, with US envoys previously mediating indirect talks between the two sides.
Key unknowns persist in the situation. Beyond whether Hezbollah will agree to the ceasefire and the terms of Israel's withdrawal, the level of direct involvement and future role of the US in mediating between Israel and Lebanon remains uncertain. The specific terms of any ceasefire agreement and Hezbollah's military status post-conflict are also unclear.