US to host new Israel-Lebanon talks as Trump team presses for Hezbollah disarmament

Rubio says Washington is awaiting Iran’s response to a new US proposal to end the conflict in the region

The United States will host two days of intensive talks between Israel and Lebanon next week in a renewed push for a broader peace and security arrangement, according to a State Department statement released on Friday.

The talks, scheduled for May 14 and 15, will build on a previous round held on April 23 that Washington said was led personally by US President Donald Trump.

In the statement, the US said Israeli and Lebanese delegations would engage in “detailed discussions” aimed at advancing “a comprehensive peace and security agreement” addressing the core concerns of both countries.

Washington framed the effort as a break from what it called the “failed approach of the past two decades”, accusing militant groups of exploiting instability in southern Lebanon to weaken the Lebanese state and threaten Israel’s northern border.

The discussions are expected to focus on security arrangements, border delineation, the restoration of Lebanese state authority and pathways for humanitarian relief and reconstruction in Lebanon, according to the statement.

Speaking in Rome on Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington expected another round of talks between Israel and Lebanon soon, adding that the US shared the goal of strengthening the Lebanese state and curbing the influence of Hezbollah.