Israel-Lebanon Talks After Israeli Raids on Lebanon

A US State Department official said that Israel and Lebanon will hold talks in Washington next week amid growing concerns that Israeli attacks in Lebanon could disrupt the fragile US-Iran ceasefire. At least 300 people were killed and over 1,150 injured in the heaviest Israeli bombing of Lebanon to date on Wednesday, just 48 hours after the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran took effect.

The official said on Thursday that "we can confirm that the department will host a meeting next week to discuss ongoing ceasefire talks with Israel and Lebanon." This was a confirmation of an earlier report by a source familiar with diplomatic efforts.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his ministers on Thursday to seek direct talks with Lebanon, focusing on disarming Hezbollah. However, after Netanyahu's announcement, a Lebanese government official told AFP that Beirut wants a ceasefire before starting any talks, a day after deadly attacks across Lebanon. A Lebanese government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Lebanon wants a ceasefire before starting talks.

Neither Israel nor Lebanon has publicly confirmed the US-brokered talks for next week. Lebanese authorities said Wednesday's bombing killed at least 303 people and injured 1,150, while Hezbollah said it was engaged in fighting against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon a day later. Israeli army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir inspected ground forces inside Lebanon on Thursday and told them that Hezbollah had been dealt a "severe blow" in the previous day's attacks.

Netanyahu's office said in a statement that the order for direct talks with the Lebanese government focused on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peace, but did not immediately halt airstrikes. Later, a Hezbollah lawmaker reiterated his organization's rejection of any direct talks between "Lebanon" and Israel.

Along with Netanyahu's statement, the Israeli military issued a new ultimatum for the southern suburbs of Beirut to be evacuated. Later on Thursday, the Israeli military claimed it was targeting Hezbollah launch sites in Lebanon. It also warned Israeli citizens that the group could increase fire in the "coming hours."

Islamabad, Brussels, Moscow, and Ankara have called for the US-Iran ceasefire to be extended to Lebanon. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, "We consider the situation in southern Lebanon to be particularly worrying and such violent Israeli attacks could undermine the peace process, which must not happen." Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran considers Lebanon an "integral part" of the ceasefire, and President Masoud Pezeshkian said Israeli attacks have made the talks with US envoys in Pakistan over the weekend "meaningless."

Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a recent written message that the Islamic Republic does not want war with the US and Israel but will defend its rights as a nation. "Where is Hezbollah here?" Hezbollah said it fired rockets at Israel on Thursday in response to Israel's violation of the ceasefire. However, both Israel and the US insist that the fighting in Lebanon is not included in the ceasefire.

Netanyahu said in a social media post, "We are continuing to attack Hezbollah with precision and determination." "Our message is clear: whoever takes action against Israeli citizens will be attacked. Where necessary, we will continue to target Hezbollah."

President Donald Trump claimed victory in the Middle East war when he agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, aiming to end the conflict that has already killed thousands and plunged the global economy into crisis through talks between US and Iranian negotiators. Trump told NBC News on Thursday that he is "very optimistic" about a peace deal with Iran after the ceasefire and said Israel is "scaling down" its attacks in Lebanon. According to Civil Defense, several bodies are still under the rubble following the attacks on Lebanon on Wednesday. A key point of contention if talks in Pakistan move forward is the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil and large quantities of natural gas and fertilizer pass in a peaceful environment. Iran announced alternative routes for ships traveling to the strait on Thursday, citing the danger of sea mines.