Live updates: Israel says it will begin direct negotiations with Lebanon as US prepares for Iran ceasefire talks

# Israel Lebanon negotiations confirmed as US plans Iran ceasefire push

Jerusalem announced direct talks with Beirut hours before Washington prepares separate negotiations with Tehran.

The breakthrough comes after 76 Israeli soldiers and 150 Hezbollah fighters died in cross-border clashes since October. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told reporters the negotiations would start “within days” under US mediation.

Lebanon’s economy lost $8.5 billion from tourism and trade disruptions during five months of fighting. The 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war lasted 34 days and killed 1,200 Lebanese. Current tensions forced 60,000 Israelis from northern border towns.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the army achieved its goals by destroying 3,000 Hezbollah military sites. “We degraded their rocket capabilities by 70 percent,” Katz told Army Radio on Tuesday. Hezbollah’s remaining arsenal includes 50,000 rockets according to Israeli intelligence estimates.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the talks but stressed Beirut’s demands. “We need a complete Israeli withdrawal from disputed border areas,” Mikati said during a cabinet meeting. His government wants the Shebaa Farms region returned under UN resolution 1701.

US Special Envoy Amos Hochstein shuttled between Jerusalem and Beirut for three weeks arranging the negotiations. Hochstein previously brokered the 2022 Israel-Lebanon maritime border deal. He told reporters both sides showed “genuine willingness to prevent wider war.”

The timing links to Washington’s parallel efforts with Iran. President Donald Trump dispatched CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Oman for preliminary ceasefire discussions. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed receiving the US proposal through Omani intermediaries.

Regional powers reacted cautiously to the announcement. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry urged “comprehensive solution addressing root causes.” Egypt offered to host negotiations if requested. French President Emmanuel Macron called European leaders proposing EU border monitoring assistance.

Casualties mounted during recent escalation phases. Israeli airstrikes killed 450 people in Lebanon since October including 120 civilians. Hezbollah rockets killed 18 Israeli civilians and damaged 15,000 homes. The Israeli shekel weakened 4 percent against the dollar during peak fighting.

Military analysts questioned whether negotiations can succeed without addressing Gaza. “Hezbollah tied any deal to stopping the Gaza war,” said retired Israeli general Amir Avivi. The group declared it fights “in solidarity” with Palestinians. Over 31,000 Palestinians died during Israel’s Gaza operation.

Previous Israel-Lebanon talks collapsed over similar linkage attempts. The 1996 Grapes of Wrath understanding lasted 14 years before breaking down. The 2020 maritime talks excluded security issues entirely. Current negotiations face pressure to cover both military and economic concerns.

Background

Israel and Lebanon technically remain at war since 1948 despite sharing no formal diplomatic relations. The border, called the Blue Line, was demarcated by the UN in 2000 after Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Hezbollah formed during Israel’s 1982-2000 occupation, gaining political power while maintaining independent military forces. Shebaa Farms, a 22-square-kilometer area occupied by Israel from Syria in 1967, became Lebanon’s main territorial claim after Israel’s 2000 withdrawal.

The 2006 war erupted when Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers, killing eight others in a cross-border raid. UN Security Council Resolution 1701 ended that conflict, calling for southern Lebanon’s demilitarization besides official Lebanese army and UN forces. Hezbollah violated those terms by rebuilding military infrastructure. Previous negotiation attempts in 2013 and 2014 failed over Hezbollah’s refusal to discuss its weapons arsenal.

What’s Next

Hochstein scheduled three negotiation rounds between March 15-25 with venues alternating between Naqoura, Lebanon and Rosh Hanikra, Israel. US officials expect preliminary ceasefire terms within two weeks, though comprehensive agreement could take months. Iranian ceasefire talks in Oman begin March 12, potentially influencing Lebanon negotiations if regional pressure increases.

The Israel-Lebanon border talks represent Beirut’s first direct security negotiations since 2006. Success could establish precedent for future Arab-Israeli agreements beyond Abraham Accords countries. Failure risks returning to monthly rocket exchanges that displaced 90,000 people total from both sides. Washington links progress to preventing Iranian nuclear escalation, making these talks tests of broader regional stability.