Hezbollah Chief Urges Lebanon to Quit 2-Day Israel Talks as Strikes Kill 3 in South
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · May 12
Hezbollah Chief Urges Lebanon to Quit 2-Day Israel Talks as Strikes Kill 3 in South
15 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · May 12
Naim Kassem called on Lebanon’s government to pull out of direct talks with Israel due to start Thursday in Washington, saying face-to-face negotiations are concessions that benefit Israel.
Kassem said Beirut should return to indirect, third-party mediation and keep Hezbollah’s weapons off the agenda, even as the Lebanese government pushes to disarm the group after fighting resumed in March.
Daily violence has continued despite the April 17 U.S.-brokered ceasefire: Hezbollah launched drones toward northern Israel on Tuesday, while Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley killed 3 people in Jibchit and wounded 4.
Lebanon’s health minister said 380 people have been killed and 1,122 wounded since the ceasefire took effect, bringing the war’s overall toll to 2,882 dead and 8,786 injured.
The Washington talks aim to end the conflict that erupted after the Iran war and address wider Israel-Lebanon relations, but Kassem’s intervention underscores how fragile any diplomatic opening remains.
Is the new 10-day ceasefire a step toward peace or a tactical pause in a wider regional war?
With Hezbollah actively rearming, can Lebanon's government succeed in its plan to disarm the powerful militia?
Will Israel's planned 'security zone' in Lebanon bring lasting security or create a permanent new conflict zone?
Lebanon-Israel Crisis 2026: Diplomatic Standoff, Hezbollah’s Resilience, and the Humanitarian Catastrophe
Overview
As of May 2026, diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the Lebanon-Israel conflict have intensified, with the United States facilitating direct government talks in Washington for the first time. These negotiations follow earlier ambassador-level discussions and come amid a complex military situation, as Hezbollah remains a formidable and reorganized force in southern Lebanon. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam emphasized that Lebanon seeks peace, not normalization with Israel. The talks represent a critical opportunity to address both the immediate crisis and the broader challenges posed by ongoing hostilities and shifting power dynamics in the region.