NewzVille Desk
Lebanon and Israel have held their first diplomatic talks in 30 years, aimed at ending fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
The talks, which lasted more than two hours, were attended by delegations led by the Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter, and the Lebanese Ambassador, Nada Hamadeh. Marco Rubio, who mediated the discussions, described them as a “historic opportunity” to curb Hezbollah’s influence.
A U.S. statement said all sides agreed to formally launch direct negotiations at a mutually decided time and place. It emphasised that any ceasefire agreement must be reached between the two governments under U.S. mediation.
The Israeli side backed dismantling all non-state armed groups in Lebanon and removing related “terror infrastructure,” while committing to resolving differences through direct talks.
Lebanon reaffirmed the need for full implementation of the November 2024 ceasefire statement, stressing its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
