Israel, Lebanon resume US-mediated talks in Washington

New rounds of US-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon are set to begin in Washington, DC, on June 23, as diplomatic efforts continue to reinforce a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon.

A US State Department official said the discussions mark the fifth round of negotiations and will include both political and military tracks, as Washington seeks progress toward what it described as a “comprehensive peace and security agreement," CNN reports. 

The talks come amid renewed tensions on the ground in Lebanon, where recent ceasefire arrangements have been repeatedly tested by reported violations involving Hezbollah and Israeli forces.

A US-brokered truce was initially reached in April and renewed on June 20, but both sides have continued to report incidents of strikes and artillery fire since then, raising concerns over the stability of the agreement.

According to Lebanon’s health ministry, more than 4,000 people have been killed since March in the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Lebanon. 

By Sabina Mammadli