Rubio to join Israel-Lebanon talks at State Department

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to join direct peace negotiations between Israel and Lebanon at the State Department on Tuesday, according to the official schedule. Rubio will host Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad at 11:00 am local time as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire agreement.

High-level talks after decades

The meeting marks the launch of direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon and will be among the highest-level talks between the two sides in decades. The discussion is expected to focus on securing a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hezbollah, and a broader peace arrangement. The talks come amid ongoing fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, where the Israeli army has expanded its air and ground offensive following the Iran war.

Hezbollah rejects negotiations

More than 2,000 people have been killed and one million displaced since early March. Hezbollah has rejected the planned Washington negotiations, calling them “futile” and urging the Lebanese government to focus on confronting Israeli “aggression.” The State Department meeting represents a critical test for US-led diplomacy in the region.