Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday that he has instructed his cabinet to launch direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible. The statement came after calls with President Trump and White House envoy Steve Witkoff, who reportedly urged Netanyahu to "calm down" strikes in Lebanon and open talks. However, an Israeli official told Axios that Israel would not observe a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Netanyahu's announcement follows a massive escalation of Israeli strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon in the 24 hours after a broader ceasefire was agreed. Lebanese Civil Defense reported that Israeli strikes on Wednesday killed at least 254 people. The U.S. and Israel deny that the ceasefire included Israel's offensive in Lebanon, while Iran claims Lebanon was part of the deal and that both nations are now in violation.
The prime minister framed the move as a response to Lebanon's repeated requests for direct negotiations. "In light of Lebanon's repeated requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed yesterday to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible," Netanyahu said in a statement. This creates a contradictory situation where talks are proposed while military operations continue unabated.
Iran has threatened to abandon broader peace talks or keep the Strait of Hormuz closed in response to what it calls a violation of the ceasefire agreement. The situation tests the fragile regional diplomacy that produced the initial ceasefire, with U.S. pressure appearing to drive Israel toward negotiations even as it maintains military pressure.
The immediate challenge will be whether Lebanon engages with Israel while under continued bombardment, and whether the U.S. can mediate between conflicting interpretations of the ceasefire terms.