Date set for new Lebanon-Israel talks

Friday, May 8, 2026

Lebanon and Israel are set to hold their third round of direct peace talks in Washington on May 14-15, despite ongoing military conflict and lack of formal diplomatic relations. These negotiations, mediated by the US, occur amid heightened tensions following recent Israeli airstrikes in Beirut and could influence regional stability depending on their outcome.

Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to resume direct peace negotiations in Washington on May 14-15, the US State Department announced Thursday. This will mark the third round of talks between the two nations, which have not engaged in direct dialogue for decades and currently lack formal diplomatic relations.

The upcoming negotiations follow a previous meeting on April 23, when the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the United States met at the White House with President Donald Trump. At that time, Trump extended an existing ceasefire by three weeks and expressed hope for a historic meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. However, President Aoun has dismissed such a prospect, insisting that direct talks cannot proceed until Israel ceases its military strikes against Lebanon. Tehran has echoed this demand, making the end of Israeli attacks on Lebanon a critical condition in its own negotiations with Washington.

Since March 2, Israel has conducted sustained military operations in southern Lebanon, including heavy bombing and a ground invasion, which have resulted in more than 2,700 deaths. The Israeli military accuses Hezbollah of launching hundreds of rockets and drone attacks into Israeli territory, which it says have killed 17 Israeli soldiers stationed in southern Lebanon and two civilians in northern Israel.

On Thursday, the Israeli military reported an airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, killing a commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force. This marked the first Israeli attack on the Lebanese capital since the ceasefire was established last month. The strike has increased tensions surrounding the fragile truce, which has so far prevented attacks on Beirut. Despite this, Israeli forces remain deployed south of the Litani River and continue to conduct operations in southern Lebanon.

The forthcoming talks will take place against the backdrop of ongoing conflict and a complex regional dynamic involving Lebanon, Israel, and Iran, with the United States playing a central mediating role. The success or failure of the negotiations could have significant implications for stability in the region.