Lebanon and Israel held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, following more than a month of conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the meeting as a historic opportunity but indicated that an immediate breakthrough was unlikely.
After the two-hour session, the US State Department said the discussions were productive and focused on steps toward initiating formal negotiations between the two countries.
It emphasised that any agreement to end hostilities would need to be reached directly between the governments of Lebanon and Israel, with US mediation, rather than through separate channels.
Hezbollah, which opposed the talks and was not represented, reportedly escalated its attacks on northern Israel as the discussions began.
Israel’s ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, said there appeared to be growing alignment on reducing Hezbollah’s influence in Lebanon and described the exchange as encouraging.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s ambassador to the US, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, stressed the urgent need to end the conflict, highlighting the importance of sovereignty and territorial integrity. She also called for a ceasefire, the return of displaced people, and concrete steps to address the humanitarian crisis, Associated Press reported.
Despite Hezbollah’s rejection, the talks mark a significant development between two countries that have had no formal diplomatic relations and have technically been at war since 1948. The current escalation began after Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel on March 2, shortly after US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Rubio said the US was willing to facilitate the process but acknowledged that longstanding tensions and complexities would make progress slow.
The Lebanese government expressed hope that the talks could lead to an end to the war, while maintaining that it would represent its own interests independently, even as Iran has linked broader regional ceasefire conditions to negotiations with Washington.
Hezbollah and its supporters argued that Lebanon’s government lacked sufficient leverage and said they would not adhere to any agreements reached through the talks. Senior Hezbollah figure Wafiq Safa reportedly stated that the group would not be bound by outcomes from the negotiations.
According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, more than 2,100 people have been killed in Israeli strikes, including many women and children, and over a million have been displaced. The war saw one of its deadliest days recently when the Israeli launched 100 airstrikes across Lebanon in 10 minutes killing over 350 people in a short span.
Israel has also carried out a ground incursion into southern Lebanon, with officials suggesting the aim is to establish a buffer zone extending to the Litani River.
Israeli authorities indicated that displaced residents would not be allowed to return until the area is demilitarised and security conditions improve, while Hezbollah has continued launching rockets, drones, and artillery attacks into northern Israel and against Israeli forces.