Lebanon, Israel Hold 3rd Ceasefire Talks in Washington

Lebanon and Israel launched their third round of direct talks in Washington on Thursday at the U.S. State Department, the highest-level discussions between the two nations in decades, as they seek to shore up a fragile ceasefire amid ongoing border clashes.

The two-day sessions, mediated by U.S. officials, mark the first inclusion of senior military representatives from both sides. Lebanon's delegation is led by Presidential Special Envoy Simon Karam, a former ambassador to Washington, and includes U.S. Ambassador Nada Mouawad and a military official. Israel's team features Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, Deputy National Security Adviser Yossi Draznin, National Security Council representatives and senior IDF officers such as Brig. Gen. Amichai Levin. Lebanese officials said their priorities include enforcing the ceasefire, halting Israeli strikes and demolitions, setting a timetable for Israel's withdrawal from southern positions south of the Litani River, deploying the Lebanese army to the area, releasing detainees and allowing the return of over 1.2 million displaced residents.

The talks follow a U.S.-brokered ceasefire announced by President Donald Trump on April 16 and extended...