Washington pushes for de-escalation as violence intensifies, with thousands killed and over a million displaced in Lebanon

President of the United States, Donald Trump, has said that leaders of Israel and Lebanon are set to hold talks as Washington intensifies efforts to ease rising hostilities between the two sides following their first direct engagement in decades.

Lebanon was drawn deeper into the Middle East conflict on March 2 after the Iran-backed group Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel.

Since then, Israeli strikes have reportedly killed more than 2,000 people and displaced over one million others in Lebanon. Despite growing international calls for a ceasefire, Israeli ground forces have advanced into southern Lebanon.

“[We are] trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon,” Trump said.

The planned engagement is believed to be the first direct negotiation between senior officials from both countries since 1993. Trump said the talks would take place on Thursday but did not disclose the participants or provide further details.

A senior U.S. administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the president would welcome an end to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah as part of a broader peace arrangement between Israel and Lebanon.

“The United States wants to see a durable peace but does not demand an immediate ceasefire,” the official said, adding that ongoing U.S. negotiations with Iran are not linked to the Israel-Lebanon talks.

“Both sides need to build political momentum,” the official noted.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also outlined two key objectives for the talks: “First, the dismantling of Hezbollah; second, a sustainable peace achieved through strength.”