US official: Israel-Lebanon talks aim to secure northern border, strengthen Lebanese sovereignty

The United States said Israel and Lebanon are set to hold direct, high-level talks, the first such engagement since 1993, as fighting with Hezbollah continues along the northern border. The talks are expected to begin at 11AM ET under US mediation.

A State Department official said on Monday that the discussions are taking place “as a direct result of Hezballah's reckless actions,” adding that the talks will focus on “how to ensure the long-term security of Israel's northern border” and support Lebanon’s efforts “to reclaim full sovereignty over its territory and political life.” The official stressed that “Israel is at war with Hezballah, not Lebanon, so there is no reason the two neighbors should not be talking.”

According to the official, the meeting will take place Tuesday at the State Department, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expected to participate alongside senior American officials. Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh are also set to attend.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed cautious optimism ahead of the talks, saying he hopes they will help achieve a ceasefire and open the door to direct negotiations. “There is now an opportunity to reach a sustainable solution,” he said, adding that such an outcome “cannot be one-sided” and requires Israel to respond to calls to halt its actions in Lebanon.

Aoun said Lebanese authorities have introduced additional security measures at Rafic Hariri International Airport and border crossings to prevent arms smuggling and the transfer of illicit funds to Hezbollah. He added that security forces have intensified enforcement efforts to maintain stability.

Al Jazeera cited a Lebanese official on Tuesday as saying that Beirut’s immediate priority in talks with Israel is securing a ceasefire, with the Lebanese Ambassador to Washington mandated to focus solely on that issue. The official described the current meeting as a preliminary stage, saying it serves as “the starting point before the general negotiations begin,” with broader issues to be addressed later by all delegations.

The source added that the participation of Marco Rubio underscores strong US backing for the process and said that contacts with Washington have been “positive” and reflect an understanding of Lebanon’s position ahead of further negotiations.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected the talks, calling them “capitulation and surrender,” and urged their cancellation. “We will not rest or surrender, and the battlefield speaks for itself,” he said, adding that “the decision to negotiate with Israel is stabbing the resistance in the back.”

Qassem also denied that Hezbollah operates cells abroad after recent arrests in Gulf states, stating, “We have no Hezbollah activity or cells in any country in the world.”