Israel and Lebanon prepare for diplomatic talks in Washington amid ongoing tensions
The United States is scheduled to host a new round of ambassador-level talks between Israel and Lebanon this Thursday in Washington, following an initial meeting on April 14. Despite a fragile ten-day ceasefire that came into effect last Friday, violence continues with reports of a recent Israeli drone strike in Qaaqaait al-Jisr and Hezbollah rocket attacks against Israeli forces. Israel maintains a military presence in a 5-10 km belt along the border, which they term the 'Yellow Line'. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, demanded the full withdrawal of Israeli troops and stated that Lebanon requires 500 million euros in humanitarian aid. Official Lebanese figures report 2,387 to 2,454 deaths and thousands of injuries since the conflict escalated in March. Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz affirmed the goal of disarming Hezbollah through military and diplomatic means. Hezbollah claims their recent attacks serve as retaliation for ceasefire violations, including civilian targeting.