Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Thursday evening that Israel is preparing to enter direct negotiations with Lebanon “as soon as possible,” with the primary goals of disarming the Hezbollah terror organization and establishing a comprehensive peace agreement between the two nations.

The diplomatic development follows significant international pressure and occurs on the heels of the most intensive wave of Israeli airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon since the current conflict escalated.

While Lebanese officials have advocated for a ceasefire prior to any talks, Jerusalem has maintained that negotiations will take place while military operations continue.

“In light of Lebanon’s repeated appeals to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed the cabinet yesterday to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible,” Prime Minister Netanyahu stated. He emphasized that the discussions will focus heavily on disarming Hezbollah and fostering peaceful relations.
Addressing the displaced residents of northern Israel, Netanyahu provided reassurance that military pressure will not cease during the preliminary talks. “There is no ceasefire in Lebanon,” he said, adding that Israel will “not stop until we restore your security.”

According to Israeli officials, the initial meetings are scheduled for next week at the State Department in Washington, D.C.

The delegations are reportedly set as follows:
Israel’s will be led by Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s Ambassador to the United States. (Former minister Ron Dermer is not currently slated to lead the talks due to internal disagreements regarding whether to link the fight against Hezbollah with a broader ceasefire with Iran).

The Lebanese delegation will be led by Nada Hamadeh-Moawad, Lebanon’s Ambassador to Washington. Michel Issa, the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, will head the American delegation.

A source within the Israeli security cabinet told the Times of Israel that Jerusalem expects Lebanon to remove Hezbollah-affiliated ministers from its government as an initial confidence-building measure.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stated that a ceasefire leading to direct negotiations is “the only solution” for his country, noting that the Lebanese proposal is gaining international traction. Furthermore, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam directed security forces to ensure that weapons in Beirut are held exclusively by legitimate state institutions. Netanyahu publicly praised this call to demilitarize the Lebanese capital.

Hezbollah, however, has firmly rejected the prospect of direct negotiations. The terror group’s representatives reiterated demands for an Israeli withdrawal and a complete cessation of hostilities.

The push for negotiations is heavily influenced by a fragile, Pakistan-brokered ceasefire between the United States and Iran. Both Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Hezbollah have asserted that this truce encompasses Lebanon; a claim firmly rejected by both Washington and Yerushalayim.

Following Wednesday’s intensive airstrikes in Lebanon, which drew international condemnation, U.S. President Donald Trump requested that Prime Minister Netanyahu scale back the military campaign. Trump confirmed in an interview that he asked the Prime Minister to “low-key it” to prevent the collapse of the broader Iranian ceasefire agreement. U.S. officials reportedly expressed concern over the scale of the strikes, prompting direct intervention from U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.

Despite the diplomatic maneuvering, the security situation remains highly volatile. Shortly after the negotiation announcements, sirens sounded across central Israel and parts of the south due to a Hezbollah missile attack launched from Lebanon.

Alerts were activated in Tel Aviv, surrounding towns, and the southern coastal city of Ashdod, confirming earlier warnings from the Home Front Command that the terror group might attempt to strike deeper into Israeli territory as pressure mounts.