Direct negotiations gain momentum as Israel demands lasting peace, border security, and Hezbollah’s full dismantling.
High-level Israeli and Lebanese delegations met at the US State Department on Thursday for a third round of direct negotiations aimed at reaching a permanent peace agreement and removing the Hezbollah threat from Lebanon’s military and political landscape.
American officials described the eight-hour meeting as productive and positive, with discussions focused on a security framework that could stabilize the border and protect Israeli communities in the north. The talks come just days before the US-brokered ceasefire extension, announced by President Donald Trump on April 23, is set to expire on Sunday.
Israel has made clear that any lasting arrangement must include the complete disarmament of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed terror organization that has dragged Lebanon into repeated conflict and endangered both Israeli and Lebanese civilians. Israeli officials stressed that Jerusalem’s objective is not temporary quiet, but a durable peace treaty backed by enforceable security guarantees.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that Hezbollah’s military capabilities must be dismantled before any long-term deal with Beirut can succeed. Israel continues to act against Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon to prevent further attacks on its northern communities.
Lebanon’s delegation, led by Presidential Special Envoy Simon Karam, is seeking a formal ceasefire that would stop Israeli military operations. However, President Joseph Aoun faces pressure from Hezbollah, which has strongly objected to the diplomatic process and continues to challenge Lebanon’s sovereign decision-making.
President Trump has expressed hope that a ceasefire can be achieved this year and has floated the possibility of hosting Netanyahu and Aoun in Washington. Aoun, however, has said such a summit is premature, insisting that halting hostilities must come first.
The negotiations are expected to resume Friday morning, with Israel pressing for peace that is real, secure, and free from Hezbollah’s armed domination.
