Lebanon, Israel hold first direct talks after decades in Washington; Rubio calls it 'historic opportunity', Hezbollah launches new attacks

Lebanon and Israel held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades on Tuesday (April 14) in Washington, following over a month of conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group. The meeting was facilitated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who described the moment as a ‘historic opportunity’, while warning that no immediate breakthrough should be expected. Rubio emphasized that the Trump administration is ‘very happy’ to support the discussions, but acknowledged the deep-rooted challenges, saying, “we understand we’re working against decades of history and complexities” that cannot be resolved quickly.

He added, “But we can begin to move forward with a framework where something can happen, something very positive, something very permanent, so that the people of Lebanon can have the kind of future they deserve, and so that the people of Israel can live without fear.” The talks come despite strong opposition from Hezbollah, which was not represented. The Iran-backed group escalated tensions by launching attacks on northern Israel as the discussions started.

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The two countries have officially been at war since Israel’s founding in 1948 and have no formal diplomatic relations. This marks their first high-level direct engagement since 1993. The latest escalation started on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel, days after the United States and Israel carried out strikes on Iran, Hezbollah’s primary ally. The Washington meeting included the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors and was mediated by Rubio, who reiterated, "This is a historic opportunity," while recognizing the ‘decades of history’ complicating progress.

"The hope today is that we can outline a framework upon which a current and lasting peace can be developed," Rubio said. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun expressed cautious optimism, saying he hoped the talks would mark the beginning of the end of the suffering of the Lebanese people. However, expectations remain low. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem dismissed the talks as "futile" and called for them to be abandoned.

As the talks got underway, Hezbollah announced it had launched ‘simultaneous rocket salvos’ targeting 13 northern Israeli towns. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar reiterated his country’s goal of "peace and normalisation" with Lebanon but stressed that Hezbollah remains the central obstacle, saying it must be addressed before progress can be made.

The Israeli military had already warned of a possible surge in attacks coinciding with the talks. Meanwhile, foreign ministers from 17 countries, including Britain and France, urged both sides to take advantage of the opportunity to achieve lasting security in the region.

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