Israel Lebanon talks could resume for the first time in more than three decades after US President Donald Trump announced that leaders from both countries are expected to speak on Thursday.
Trump disclosed the development in a post on Truth Social, saying he was working to create “a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon.”
He said it would mark the first direct conversation between the two sides’ leaders in 34 years, though he did not name the participants or specify where the talks would take place.
“There hasn’t been a conversation like this in 34 years. It will happen tomorrow,” Trump wrote.
Neither Israel nor Lebanon immediately commented on the announcement.
The statement came a day after US, Israeli, and Lebanese envoys held their first direct diplomatic engagement in Washington, DC in more than three decades. The meeting marked the most significant trilateral contact since 1993, with participants agreeing to pursue what were described as “productive discussions” aimed at launching direct negotiations.
US officials have said they want any future agreement to go beyond the 2024 ceasefire and evolve into a broader peace framework between Israel and Lebanon.
Heavy toll and growing humanitarian crisis
The conflict has exacted a heavy human cost. Since March 2, Israeli military operations have killed more than 2,000 people in Lebanon and displaced over 1.2 million, according to regional reports. Figures cited by Qatar News Agency put the death toll at 2,164, with more than 7,000 people wounded as of April 15.
Israeli strikes have hit civilian infrastructure, including homes, bridges, and medical facilities. Lebanon’s Ministry of Health says at least 91 medical workers have been killed.
On Wednesday, three consecutive Israeli strikes in the village of Mayfadoun killed four paramedics and injured six others.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the military to expand its ground operations in southern Lebanon toward the east, as Israel seeks to establish a buffer zone and weaken Hezbollah while keeping diplomatic options open.
Fighting has intensified around areas such as Bint Jbeil, a strategic town that Israeli forces say they have surrounded, though Hezbollah claims its fighters are still resisting.
Lebanon’s position and obstacles to peace
The Lebanese government, which says it is not directly involved in the fighting, has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from its territory. Beirut insists on implementing the 2024 ceasefire agreement, while Israel has demanded the disarmament of Hezbollah and the dismantling of its military infrastructure.
Lebanon is widely expected to require a ceasefire before entering high-level negotiations, a condition Israel has so far resisted.
The fighting has also complicated broader US-Iran diplomacy, including talks hosted in Islamabad that ended without an agreement. Iran’s parliament speaker has warned that negotiations cannot advance unless Israeli attacks on Lebanon stop and US sanctions are eased.
Although a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran was announced on April 7, it remains unclear whether it applies to the conflict in Lebanon.
Uncertain path ahead
Despite renewed diplomatic efforts, violence continues. Israeli strikes have been reported near one of the last functioning hospitals in Tebnine for two consecutive days.
Analysts warn that fully disarming Hezbollah would likely require a prolonged and costly military presence in Lebanon, an outcome seen as both difficult and uncertain.
For now, attention is focused on whether Thursday’s proposed talks will actually take place — and whether they can open a path toward a ceasefire or a wider peace agreement.
