US Officials: Israel and Lebanon Expected to Hold Ceasefire Talks Next Week
US officials announced that Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold ceasefire talks next week, despite recent intense Israeli bombardments on Lebanon that killed hundreds. The Israeli Prime Minister has instructed his cabinet to seek direct negotiations for disarming Hezbollah, but Lebanon and Hezbollah demand a ceasefire before any talks. European nations are calling for the US-Iran ceasefire agreement to extend to Lebanon.
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- 📰 Published: April 10, 2026 at 07:25
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Agence France-Presse reported that the Iranian-backed Lebanese political and military organization Hezbollah joined the Middle East conflict in early March. Yesterday, Israel launched its most intense bombardment on Lebanon since then, killing hundreds. This airstrike, less than 48 hours after the US-Iran ceasefire agreement took effect, has shaken the bilateral truce.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier today instructed his cabinet to seek direct negotiations with Lebanon to promote the disarmament of Hezbollah.
A US State Department official stated: "We can confirm that the State Department will host a meeting next week to discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Israel and Lebanon."
However, a Lebanese government official, speaking anonymously to AFP after Netanyahu's statement, said that Lebanon demands a ceasefire before engaging in any negotiations with Israel.
A Hezbollah MP reiterated that Hezbollah rejects any direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. Hezbollah also claimed to have fired rockets at Israel today.
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir inspected Israeli ground forces in Lebanon today, telling them that Hezbollah had "suffered heavy losses" in yesterday's airstrikes.
The Israeli military also issued new evacuation orders for the southern suburbs of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, and announced later today that it would attack Hezbollah's launch sites, while warning Israeli citizens that Hezbollah might escalate its offensive "within hours."
The EU, Russia, and Turkey all called for the US-Iran ceasefire agreement to extend to Lebanon. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also said, "We are particularly concerned about the situation in southern Lebanon," echoing statements from France and the UK.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that Iran considers Lebanon an "integral part" of the ceasefire agreement. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also said that Israel's strikes on Lebanon have made Iran's scheduled talks with US envoys in Pakistan this weekend "meaningless."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier today instructed his cabinet to seek direct negotiations with Lebanon to promote the disarmament of Hezbollah.
A US State Department official stated: "We can confirm that the State Department will host a meeting next week to discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Israel and Lebanon."
However, a Lebanese government official, speaking anonymously to AFP after Netanyahu's statement, said that Lebanon demands a ceasefire before engaging in any negotiations with Israel.
A Hezbollah MP reiterated that Hezbollah rejects any direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. Hezbollah also claimed to have fired rockets at Israel today.
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir inspected Israeli ground forces in Lebanon today, telling them that Hezbollah had "suffered heavy losses" in yesterday's airstrikes.
The Israeli military also issued new evacuation orders for the southern suburbs of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, and announced later today that it would attack Hezbollah's launch sites, while warning Israeli citizens that Hezbollah might escalate its offensive "within hours."
The EU, Russia, and Turkey all called for the US-Iran ceasefire agreement to extend to Lebanon. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also said, "We are particularly concerned about the situation in southern Lebanon," echoing statements from France and the UK.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that Iran considers Lebanon an "integral part" of the ceasefire agreement. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also said that Israel's strikes on Lebanon have made Iran's scheduled talks with US envoys in Pakistan this weekend "meaningless."
FAQ
When are the ceasefire talks between Israel and Lebanon expected to take place?
According to US State Department officials, Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold ceasefire talks next week.
What is Hezbollah's stance on the ceasefire negotiations?
Hezbollah rejects any direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel and demands a ceasefire before any talks commence.