Israel Announces Direct Talks with Lebanon on Hezbollah

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Thursday that his government will begin direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible, aiming to disarm Hezbollah militants and establish peaceful relations between the two nations, which have been technically at war since Israel's founding in 1948. The talks, the first of their kind, are set to start next week at the U.S. State Department in Washington, following preparatory discussions between Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors on Friday.

The move comes amid intensified Israeli military operations in Lebanon, where strikes have continued despite a recent U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement announced earlier this week. Netanyahu emphasized that the negotiations will not involve Hezbollah, which he described as the primary obstacle to peace, and that Israeli forces will maintain operations to target the group. "We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with force, precision and determination," Netanyahu said in a statement, underscoring Israel's position that the U.S.-Iran truce does not extend to the Lebanon conflict.

The diplomatic initiative follows repeated requests from Lebanese officials for direct engagement. Lebanese...