Israel, Lebanon Set for Ceasefire Talks in Washington

Israeli and Lebanese officials are set to meet in Washington next week for direct negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire and addressing broader security concerns, even as clashes between Israel and Hezbollah continue along the border.

The talks, hosted by the United States, come amid weeks of escalating violence that has killed at least 1,888 people in Lebanon from Israeli strikes since early March, according to Lebanese authorities. The conflict intensified after Hezbollah, backed by Iran, fired missiles into Israel on March 2, three days into a separate U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, targeting what it describes as Hezbollah strongholds and ordering evacuations that have displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians.

A senior Lebanese official confirmed the meeting will prioritize an immediate ceasefire as a precondition for further discussions on disarming Hezbollah and normalizing relations. Lebanon's government, which banned the group's military activities in March, views the talks as a step toward establishing a state monopoly on arms. However, Hezbollah, which holds seats in parliament and sees...