United States President Donald Trump has said that leaders of Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold talks on Thursday, as Washington intensifies efforts to reduce hostilities between the two sides following their first direct engagement in decades.
Lebanon was drawn into the ongoing Middle East conflict on March 2 after the Iran-backed group, Hezbollah, launched attacks on Israel. Since then, Israeli strikes have reportedly killed more than 2,000 people and displaced over one million residents in Lebanon, despite repeated international calls for a ceasefire. Israeli ground forces have also advanced into southern parts of the country.
Speaking on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump said the United States is “trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon,” referencing a meeting held in Washington a day earlier — the first direct negotiations between senior officials of both nations since 1993.
He added that the leaders would speak on Thursday but did not disclose specific participants or further details.
A senior US administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Trump would welcome an end to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah as part of a broader peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon. However, the official clarified that such an outcome is not tied to ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
“The president would welcome the end of hostilities in Lebanon as part of a peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon,” the official said, noting that while the US seeks a durable peace, it has not demanded an immediate ceasefire.
The official added that Washington’s current focus is on building trust between the Lebanese and Israeli governments to create conditions for a lasting agreement.
“Both sides need to build political momentum,” the official said.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined two key objectives for the talks: the dismantling of Hezbollah and the pursuit of a sustainable peace achieved through strength.
AFP
