Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said that he has instructed his cabinet to begin direct talks with Lebanon "as soon as possible" to disarm Hezbollah and establish "peace relations" between the two countries. This comes a day after Israel launched deadly strikes on Lebanon across Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and the southern part of the country, which killed over 200 people.
According to news agency AFP, Israeli media outlets reported that Yechiel Leiter, Israel's ambassador to the US, would represent the country in the talks.
Negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah: Netanyahu
According to Netanyahu's office, the talks would focus on "disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon." "In light of Lebanon's repeated requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed the cabinet yesterday to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible," his office said in a statement.
"Negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peace relations between Israel and Lebanon. Israel appreciates today's call by the Prime Minister of Lebanon to demilitarize Beirut," the statement added.
Lebanon's cabinet instructs security forces to restrict weapons
Meanwhile, Lebanon's Cabinet on Thursday directed security forces to ensure that weapons in Beirut remain exclusively under state control, in a clear message to Hezbollah.
"The army and security forces are requested to immediately begin reinforcing the full imposition of state authority over Beirut Governorate and to monopolise weapons in the hands of legitimate authorities alone," Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said at the end of a cabinet meeting.
The move comes despite an earlier decision by the Lebanese government in March to ban Hezbollah's military activities following the outbreak of conflict with Israel. However, the Iran-backed group has continued its operations.
Lebanon had also committed in 2025 to disarm Hezbollah, which remains the only group to retain its weapons after the Lebanese Civil War.
Over 200 people killed in Israeli strikes
Lebanon's health ministry said Thursday that at least 203 people were killed in widespread Israeli strikes in central Beirut and other areas of Lebanon on Wednesday. It said more than 1,000 were wounded.
The death toll on Wednesday was the highest for a single day in Lebanon during more than five weeks of renewed war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
The Israeli military said it targeted Hezbollah sites. However, several of the buildings that were struck without warning during the afternoon rush hour were in densely-packed commercial and residential areas, leading to widespread civilian casualties.
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