US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that Israeli and Lebanese leaders will hold direct talks on Thursday, marking what would be the first conversation between the two countries' top officials in over three decades.
The announcement follows rare face-to-face negotiations between Israeli and Lebanese envoys in Washington on Tuesday — the first such direct diplomatic engagement since 1993. The two-and-a-half-hour session involved Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Maouad, and US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Aissa.
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!
Donald Trump, US President — Truth Social
Trump did not specify which leaders would participate in Thursday's talks or provide additional details about the format. The diplomatic push comes as Israel's cabinet met Wednesday to discuss a potential ceasefire with Lebanon, according to Israeli officials.
The current conflict escalated on March 2 when Hezbollah launched attacks on northern Israel, days after US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Since then, Israeli military operations have killed more than 2,000 people in Lebanon and displaced over 1.2 million civilians, according to Lebanese health authorities.
Al Jazeera emphasizes the humanitarian toll on Lebanon and frames Israel as the aggressor, highlighting civilian casualties and displacement while positioning the talks within the broader context of US-Iran tensions. The outlet's framing reflects Qatar's role as a regional mediator and its critical stance toward Israeli military actions.