Lebanon and Israel resumed Tuesday the US-mediated ceasefire talks in Washington, D.C., within a broader framework for regional de-escalation, in light of a recent agreement with Iran.
The fighting between Hezbollah and Israel emerged as a critical flashpoint between the US and Iran during ceasefire talks and even before negotiations took place in Lucerne Summit in Switzerland this week. Tehran has maintained that negotiations remain contingent on ending military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon.
This fifth round of Lebanese–Israeli talks comes as Beirut, under US pressure, seeks to reshape the security reality in southern Lebanon by expanding the Lebanese Army’s role and restricting Israel’s ability to carry out military movements in the area.
Media reports citing AFP on Sunday reported an Israeli military official as saying that the army had been instructed by the political leadership to stop combat operations in southern Lebanon, even as fighting with Hezbollah continued in the area.
The official said Israel was not conducting proactive strikes but operating defensively within a security zone in southern Lebanon, including responding if Hezbollah violated the ceasefire or targeted Israeli troops or civilians.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz rejected reports of any change in the army’s rules of engagement, with Netanyahu saying he instructed the army to retain “full freedom of action” in southern Lebanon to counter any direct or emerging threats.
According to a statement issued by his office on Monday, adding that Israel would maintain its position in the “security zone” for as long as necessary to protect residents in the north with no operational restrictions on the military.
The talks unfold even as Israeli forces continue lethal action on the ground, killing two people in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, despite a ceasefire that has largely held since Sunday, Reuters reported.
This comes as Iran, Qatar, and Pakistan agreed to set up a “de-confliction cell” to oversee compliance with the truce in Lebanon, underscoring how fragile the calm remains even as the Washington talks proceed.
Israeli withdrawal and Hezbollah’s disarmament
The core of the current negotiations aims at more than a ceasefire; with a new security arrangement in southern Lebanon being drafted, under which the Lebanese Army would bear responsibility for field security, while Hezbollah’s military activity would be curbed and an international monitoring mechanism would be implemented.
Speaking at a press briefing following US-led talks on Iran and regional de-escalation, US Vice President JD Vance said “very good progress” had been made on establishing a “deconfliction mechanism” aimed at reducing escalation risks between Israel and Hezbollah.
He added that ensuring “Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty is protected” while “Israel’s security is protected” would require coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces, as well as engagement with Iran to “rein in Hezbollah.”
By contrast, Hezbollah’s leadership rejects any arrangement that leaves Israeli forces inside Lebanese territory or diminishes the role of the resistance, tying the continuation of calm to a full Israeli withdrawal from the areas it controls.
Clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in the days after the memorandum’s signing raised concern among mediators, prompting Iran to renew threats of closing the Strait of Hormuz on the grounds that any violation of the clause to cease military operations would undermine the entire agreement.
These developments point to a growing divergence between the US and Israeli visions for the future of southern Lebanon, with Vance publicly lashing out at Israeli critics of the Iran deal on Thursday.
For his part, Netanyahu insists that the Israeli military will remain in the “security zone” in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary, while reports suggest Washington may press Tel Aviv to gradually withdraw from some areas as a confidence-building measure, allowing the Lebanese Army to assume its responsibilities.
A Lebanese official told Reuters Tuesday that the Iran–US understanding has weakened Beirut’s negotiating position because it reduces one of Lebanon’s key sources of leverage in talks with Israel, adding that the talks come amid a trust issue between the two sides.
