Lebanon and Israel have held their first diplomatic talks in over three decades, a rare encounter aimed at ending fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who mediated, said it was a historic opportunity to end Hezbollah's influence.
A US statement said the two sides had agreed to launch direct negotiations, at a time and place to be determined. Israel stated it wanted to disarm all non-state terror groups - a reference to Hezbollah.
Lebanon called for a ceasefire and measures to address its humanitarian crisis. The two countries do not have diplomatic relations, and the last direct, high-level talks between them took place in 1993.
Over 2,000 people have been killed since Israeli military operations in Lebanon began on 2 March, just days after US and Israeli strikes began in Iran.
While the two sides were meeting in Washington on Tuesday, Hezbollah claimed at least 24 attacks on Israel and Israeli troops in Lebanon.
Drone and rocket alarms sounded in communities across northern Israel for much of the day.
Israel stated its operations in Lebanon are aimed at disarming and dismantling the group, which it also fought in 2023 and 2024 as the war in Gaza raged.
A spokesman for the US State Department, Tommy Pigott, stated after the talks that both Israel and Lebanon agreed to work towards reducing Hezbollah's influence.
The Lebanese side also called for a ceasefire and concrete measures to address and alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis in the country.
Meanwhile, the US expressed its support for Israel's right to defend itself from Hezbollah's attacks, he added.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the meeting, Rubio said the gathering was a process, adding: This will take time, but we believe it is worth this endeavour. It's a historic gathering that we hope to build on.
In a statement, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed hope that the talks would mark the beginning of the end of the suffering of the Lebanese people in general, and those in the south in particular.
He emphasized that the only solution to the conflict would be for the Lebanese armed forces to be solely responsible for the security of the area. However, the Lebanese government's capacity to confront Hezbollah is limited.
Ahead of the talks, a senior member of Hezbollah stated that the organization would not abide by any settlement agreed upon in Washington.
Hezbollah, founded in 1982, holds significant influence in Lebanon's predominantly Shia south and the southern suburbs of Beirut, and its political affiliates occupy multiple cabinet-level positions within the government.
The relationship between Hezbollah and Lebanon's central government has become increasingly strained as the group engaged in the conflict between Israel and Iran, its primary benefactor.
In separate talks held between the US and Iran in Pakistan, Iranian negotiators insisted that Lebanon be included in any ceasefire discussions—though both the US and Israel disagreed.
A US State Department official confirmed that the Israel-Lebanon talks were planned a month ago, preceding the confirmation of negotiations with Iran in Islamabad.
In addition to the more than 2,000 people killed, around a million individuals have been displaced due to the ongoing conflict.
