Trump says Israel, Lebanon leaders to hold talks Thursday

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has said that leaders of Israel and Lebanon will speak on Thursday, as Washington pushes to ease hostilities after the rivals’ first direct talks in decades.

Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East war on March 2 after pro-Tehran group Hezbollah attacked Israel.

Since then, Israeli strikes have killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than one million in Lebanon, despite international calls for a ceasefire, and Israeli ground forces have invaded the country’s south.

“Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon,” Trump said Wednesday on his Truth Social platform, referring to a meeting held in Washington the day before — the first direct negotiations between senior officials from the two countries since 1993.

He said the leaders would speak on Thursday, without identifying participants or giving further details.

A senior US administration official said earlier that Trump would “welcome” an end to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, but stressed that any such outcome is not part of talks between Washington and Tehran.

“The president would welcome the end of hostilities in Lebanon as part of a peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“The United States wants to see a durable peace but did not demand an immediate ceasefire,” and “negotiations between the US and Iran are not linked to ongoing peace talks between Israel and Lebanon,” according to the official.

Washington’s focus is on building trust between the Lebanese and Israeli governments “so that we can create space for a peace deal, and so that any future understandings can be durable.”

“Both sides need to build political momentum,” the official added.

Netanyahu spoke on Wednesday of two central objectives in the talks with Lebanon: “First, the dismantling of Hezbollah; second, a sustainable peace… achieved through strength.”