Historic Talks Scheduled Between Israel and Lebanon

United States President Donald Trump has announced a historic development in the longstanding conflict between Israel and Lebanon, stating that the leaders of the two nations will engage in a conversation for the first time in 34 years on Thursday.

The announcement was made on Trump's Truth Social account, following a day of direct diplomatic talks between Israeli and Lebanese envoys in Washington, DC. These talks were the first of their kind in over three decades and were initiated with Lebanon seeking an end to Israel's attacks on the country.

Trump expressed his intentions, saying, "Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon... It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow. Nice!" However, he did not specify which leaders would be involved in the talks.

Background of the Conflict

The conflict escalated on March 2, when Lebanon was drawn into the US and Israel's war on Iran, following Tehran's alignment with Hezbollah and the resumption of attacks on Israel. Hezbollah claimed these attacks were in retaliation for Israel's killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Israel's repeated violations of a ceasefire agreed upon in November 2024.

Since then, Israeli forces have been responsible for the deaths of over 2,000 people in Lebanon and the displacement of more than 1.2 million others. The Israeli military has also launched a ground invasion in southern Lebanon, aiming to create a "buffer zone".

Earlier on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the expansion of the invasion in southern Lebanon, towards the east, in pursuit of negotiations with the Lebanese government alongside the military campaign against Hezbollah. The goal is to disarm the group and achieve a "sustainable peace" with Lebanon.

The Lebanese government, not a party to the conflict, has called for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon. Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut, noted the lack of information from the Lebanese government on Trump's statement and described the US president's remarks as "controversial".

Khodr stated, "This is really a taboo in Lebanon for a Lebanese leader and Israeli leader to speak at a time that both countries are still technically at war, at a time that Israel continues to attack the country." She suggested that Trump might be hinting at a possible ceasefire, given the US administration's push to separate the Lebanon front from the Iran front.

Despite diplomatic efforts, Israel has continued to launch deadly attacks on Lebanese civilians. On Wednesday, the Israeli military struck the village of Mayfadoun, killing four Lebanese paramedics and wounding six others. According to Lebanon's Ministry of Health, Israeli forces have killed at least 91 Lebanese medical workers since March 2 and targeted several medical facilities.

Additional attacks were reported around one of the last remaining hospitals in southern Lebanon, in the town of Tebnine, with two consecutive days of strikes. Khodr noted, "It is clear Israel doesn't want this area to be liveable," referring to the destruction of civilian infrastructure, including bridges and thousands of homes.

Fighting continues around the town of Bint Jbeil, with Israel's military encircling the strategic hilltop town. However, Hezbollah fighters inside the town are continuing to resist. Khodr observed, "Israel is looking for some sort of a military gain to claim victory. Bint Jbeil would be symbolic because it wasn't able to take control of the town during the last war in 2006, during 2024."

She concluded that for Israel to disarm Hezbollah, it would need to occupy the whole of Lebanon, a costly and difficult endeavor. "Israel can continue to kill and destroy but that will not change the fact that Hezbollah is not going to give up its arms. It needs the Lebanese government to partner with it in order for the disarmament process to begin," Khodr added.