Secretary of State Marco Rubio will host a meeting between Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. The session aims to launch direct negotiations between the two nations. This represents the most high-level direct encounter between Israel and Lebanon since 1993.
Talks will focus on securing a ceasefire and a longer-term plan to disarm Hezbollah, according to sources. The meeting occurs amid ongoing fighting between Israel and Hezbollah and a significant Israeli ground operation in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese government had previously proposed direct talks, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had rejected them.