The US State Department on June 20 announced that a new round of talks between Israel and Lebanon will be held in Washington next week, specifically on June 23 and 25. The announcement came shortly after Israel and Hezbollah declared a new ceasefire in Lebanon, where ongoing fighting threatens to undermine the US-Iran memorandum aimed at ending the war.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke by phone with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on June 20. Rubio stressed that bilateral negotiations between Lebanon and Israel are the only viable path to reconstruction, economic recovery, and an end to recurring cycles of violence. The two discussed the upcoming talks, where two sovereign governments will make progress toward a lasting peace.
Israel and Lebanon held their first round of direct talks in April 2025, the first since 1993. Following that meeting and a subsequent round in June, the two sides declared a pause in hostilities. However, the negotiations have not included Hezbollah, hampering any significant progress.
Hezbollah and Israel have continued to exchange attacks in recent months. In the latest bout of fighting, Israeli strikes have killed at least 47 people across southern Lebanon since midnight. After the ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024, the Lebanese government has sought to disarm Hezbollah as part of a US-backed roadmap.
The Lebanese government is also pushing for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. However, the text of the agreement reached in June calls for Hezbollah to withdraw north of the Litani River in southern Lebanon but does not call for a full Israeli withdrawal.
The US-Iran memorandum aimed at ending the US-Israel war with Iran commits to ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The ongoing clashes continue to violate this memorandum, leading to a rare rebuke of Israel by US President Donald Trump. On the same day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei accused Israel of seeking a permanent war.
