Rubio holds talks with Lebanese leader, Israeli PM on ceasefire initiative

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has held talks over the past 48 hours with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an effort to advance a new ceasefire initiative, a US official told Axios journalist Barak Ravid.

In a post on X, Ravid stated that the proposal is being discussed within ongoing contacts between Israel and Lebanon. The United States has suggested, as a first step, a halt to all attacks by Hezbollah against Israel. In return, Israel would refrain from escalation in Beirut.

🚨🇺🇸🇮🇱🇱🇧Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke over the last 48 hours with both Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to try and push forward a new ceasefire initiative, a U.S. official told me
🚨🇺🇸🇮🇱🇱🇧The U.S. official said the new initiative was…

— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) June 1, 2026

The US official said the initiative is intended to “create space for gradual de-escalation and an effective cessation of hostilities.”

According to the same source, Lebanon’s president has sought to advance the proposal and secure an agreement. However, the response from parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri was described by US officials as non-committal.

The source claimed that Berri indicated willingness to guarantee Hezbollah’s adherence to a ceasefire, while stressing that Israel should be the first to halt fire.

“The U.S. does not expect Israel to absorb ongoing attacks on its civilians by a terrorist organization. The fastest way to de-escalate and protect civilians on all sides is for Hezbollah to stop firing immediately,” the official added.

By Jeyhun Aghazada