Israeli, Lebanese Militaries Open Pentagon Talks on 45-Day Ceasefire as Hezbollah Remains Armed
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 29
Israeli, Lebanese Militaries Open Pentagon Talks on 45-Day Ceasefire as Hezbollah Remains Armed
8 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 29
Friday’s Pentagon-mediated meeting launched a new U.S.-brokered military coordination track between Israel and Lebanon, shifting the process from diplomacy to direct security talks.
The agenda centers on enforcing the mid-April ceasefire, stabilizing the border, arranging Israeli withdrawal from parts of southern Lebanon and defining the Lebanese Armed Forces’ role in containing Hezbollah.
45 days were added to the ceasefire on May 15, but Israeli forces still operate in southern Lebanon while Hezbollah retains drone and rocket capabilities, keeping pressure high before the extension expires.
Analysts said the main obstacle is Lebanon’s lack of a workable plan to disarm Hezbollah, whose entrenched political and military power raises fears that any direct confrontation could trigger civil war.
Netanyahu said Israeli troops had crossed the Litani River and were striking Hezbollah across Lebanon, underscoring that the talks are aimed less at an immediate breakthrough than at signaling joint pressure on the Iran-backed group.
With talks underway, is Israel's plan to expand its Gaza grip undermining the chance for broader regional peace?
As Lebanon and Israel negotiate, can a looming US-Iran deal truly defuse the entire region?
2026 Israel-Hezbollah Conflict: 1 Million Displaced, Peace Talks Falter Amid Disarmament and Regional Tensions
Overview
In late May 2026, military operations between Israel and Hezbollah intensified sharply, leading the Israel Defense Forces to declare all areas south of the Zahrani River as combat zones. This move expanded the conflict deeper into Lebanese territory, ending any previous calm and plunging the region into renewed instability. As a result, casualties in Lebanon rose and the humanitarian crisis worsened, with six U.N. peacekeepers killed in the crossfire. The escalation also revived painful memories among the Lebanese population of Israel’s past military occupation, deepening fears and uncertainty about the future.