Representatives of Israel and Lebanon have launched a new round of direct talks in Washington as the United States seeks to ease escalating tensions between the two neighbours despite continued exchanges of fire along the border.
The discussions, which began on Tuesday at the US State Department, mark the fourth round of direct engagement between the two countries, which do not maintain formal diplomatic relations. The talks are scheduled to continue over two days and are being closely watched amid growing concerns over regional stability.
The Israeli delegation is being led by Yechiel Leiter, while Lebanon is represented by Nada Hamadeh Moawad. Senior US official Daniel Holler is also participating in the discussions on behalf of the State Department.
The meeting follows an announcement by Donald Trump that both sides had committed to efforts aimed at reducing hostilities. However, the diplomatic initiative comes at a time when fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed organisation Hezbollah continues despite reported ceasefire understandings.
Neither delegation made public remarks before or after the opening session.
Israeli officials have indicated that military operations would continue against Hezbollah positions in Beirut’s southern suburbs if attacks on northern Israeli communities persist. The warning comes amid one of the most intense periods of confrontation in recent years.
The latest escalation has included extensive cross-border bombardments and Israel’s deepest military incursion into Lebanese territory in roughly two decades. According to Lebanon’s health ministry, Israeli strikes near a hospital in the southern city of Tyre on Monday killed four people and injured 127 others, including dozens of hospital staff members.
The Washington talks are seen as an important diplomatic effort to prevent the conflict from expanding further while exploring possibilities for a more durable de-escalation between the two sides.
