Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed a government meeting to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible.
“The talks will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon,” the prime minister said in a statement.
Israel attacked Lebanon on April 8, the day the US and Iran agreed to a ceasefire that Tehran said was a “coordinated” strike. The Israeli military said it had carried out the largest coordinated strike of the war, striking more than 100 Hezbollah command centers and military facilities in the Lebanese capital, the Bekaa Valley and the south of the country in a 10-minute period. The Lebanese Civil Defense said 254 people were killed and more than 1,100 wounded across the country.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address that Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire with Iran — and that is why the Israeli army continues to strike Hezbollah. This was confirmed by the White House: Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt and US Vice President J.D. Vance also said that the ceasefire does not apply to Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said a ceasefire in Lebanon was a prerequisite for his country's deal with the United States. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who was mediating the talks, had also previously argued that the ceasefire should include Lebanon.