Washington to host new talks between Israel, Lebanon on Thursday: US official

AFP , Monday 20 Apr 2026

The United States on Thursday will hold new talks between Israel and Lebanon aimed at encouraging an agreement, a US official told AFP, after the start of a US-brokered ceasefire that has seen Israel continue to bomb Lebanese villages and refuse to withdraw from the south.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (C), alongside US State Department Counselor Michael Needham (2L) and US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa (2R), speaks during a meeting with Lebanon's Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad (out of frame) and Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter (out of frame) at the State Department in Washington, DC. AFP

"We will continue to facilitate direct, good-faith discussions between the two governments," a State Department official said Monday on customary condition of anonymity.

The remarks to AFP come as Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Monday that direct negotiations with Israel would be conducted solely by Lebanon.

“No one will participate in this task or replace Lebanon,” Aoun said, while Hezbollah warned the talks were “a political path to offering free concessions” to Israel.

Since a 10-day ceasefire went into force on Friday, Lebanese authorities and rescuers have been recovering bodies under the rubble of buildings in areas that were subjected to heavy Israeli strikes.

Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed at least 2,387 people since the war erupted six weeks ago, a Lebanese government body said in a new toll.

The disaster risk management unit added that 7,602 people had been wounded over the same period.