US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon would talk on Thursday, after holding a face-to-face summit in Washington on Tuesday – the first such talks since 1993.
“Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It’s been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It’s going to happen tomorrow,” Trump wrote on Truth Social without naming who would be involved or giving further details.
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 after Iran-backed Hezbollah attacked Israel, and more than 2,000 people have been killed by Israeli attacks since then.
Israel’s cabinet met on Wednesday to discuss a possible ceasefire, a senior Israeli official said. Meanwhile, Lebanese officials believe an agreement could be announced soon, according to the Financial Times.
Ending the fighting in Lebanon was a key factor in peace talks between the US and Iran, as well as how to deal with Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
US and Iranian officials were considering returning to Pakistan for further talks as early as next weekend, after talks ended on Sunday without success. Pakistan’s army chief and a key player in the mediation, Field Marshal Asim Munir, arrived in Tehran on Wednesday to try to prevent a revival of the conflict.
