President Donald Trump will meet with Lebanese and Israeli envoys on Thursday as part of a new round of peace talks. The meeting comes as the United States struggles to push Iran into a broader deal on the regional war. With that effort stalled, Washington is now focusing on Lebanon, where a shaky ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is set to expire soon.
A Shift in Focus
The talks were originally planned at the State Department and were to be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. But they have been moved to the White House. “President Trump will greet both representatives upon their arrival,” a US official said. This marks a significant escalation in diplomatic attention to the Lebanon crisis.
What to expect from Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs announcement?
Israel stated ahead of the talks that it has no “serious disagreements” with the Lebanese government. It called on Beirut to “work together” against Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group that has been firing into Israel and is notably absent from the negotiations.
Lebanon’s Demands
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said his country will request a one-month extension of the existing ceasefire. The truce, which was brokered by the US after the first round of talks, is set to expire on Sunday. Lebanon is also asking for a halt to “the destruction of homes and attacks on civilians, places of worship, journalists and the medical and educational sectors.”
Aoun said he hopes to visit Washington and meet with Trump. However, he clarified that he never planned to speak directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, contradicting an earlier announcement by Trump.
Continued Violence
Despite the ceasefire, violence continues. Israeli strikes killed five people in Lebanon on Wednesday. On Thursday, Lebanon’s state-run news agency reported an Israeli drone strike on a vehicle near Nabatieh, about 35 kilometers north of the Israeli border. Israel says it reserves the right to act against “planned, imminent or ongoing attacks.” Hezbollah has claimed at least two attacks on Israeli troops and said it targeted a reconnaissance drone in retaliation for Israeli “ceasefire violations.”
Among the dead on Wednesday was a Lebanese journalist, Amal Khalil. Israeli forces have also taken over southern Lebanese villages, establishing a 10-kilometer deep “security zone” just north of the border.
The Bigger Picture
Israel’s foreign minister said the “obstacle to peace and normalization between the countries is one — Hezbollah.” Iran had demanded the Lebanon truce as a condition for resuming wider talks with Washington. But Iran refused to attend a second round of talks this week due to an ongoing US naval blockade. Despite that, Trump has extended the broader truce with Iran indefinitely.
What’s Next
The meeting in Washington marks the first direct engagement between Lebanon and Israel at this level since 1993. The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, an evangelical pastor known for his support of Israeli expansionism, will also take part. For now, Washington is hoping that progress on Lebanon might create momentum for a larger deal with Iran.
By
