Netanyahu Orders Direct Lebanon Peace Talks Amid Ceasefire Turmoil

​JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Thursday that he has instructed his cabinet to initiate direct negotiations with Lebanon “as soon as possible,” a move aimed at securing a formal peace treaty and the complete disarmament of Hezbollah.

​In a statement released in Hebrew, the Prime Minister noted that the decision follows “repeated calls” from Beirut to open a direct diplomatic channel. The talks are expected to center on two primary pillars: the demilitarization of the Hezbollah militia and the establishment of “peaceful relations” between the two neighboring states.

​However, the diplomatic overture comes at a moment of extreme regional volatility. While Netanyahu extends an olive branch to the Lebanese government, the broader “Iran War” ceasefire—brokered recently between Tehran and Washington—is reportedly “hanging by a thread.”

​Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon today, labeling them a “blatant violation” of the truce. Tehran maintains that the ceasefire agreement includes a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, a claim that both Israel and the United States have explicitly denied. In retaliation for the continued bombardment, Iran has once again restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, causing global oil prices to surge.

​Within Lebanon, the situation remains dire. While the Lebanese Prime Minister has previously signaled a willingness to demilitarize certain sectors, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have continued high-intensity strikes against Hezbollah targets. On Wednesday and Thursday, reports emerged of heavy casualties in Beirut and southern Lebanon, including the deaths of four Lebanese soldiers and several journalists.

​”The negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations,” Netanyahu stated, even as he reaffirmed that Israel would continue to strike the militant group “with force and precision” until its security objectives are met.

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​Observers suggest the move toward direct talks may be an attempt by Jerusalem to decouple the Lebanese state from Hezbollah’s influence, though critics warn that negotiations are unlikely to succeed while active bombardment continues and regional tensions with Iran remain at a breaking point.

​Beirut has not yet officially responded to the Prime Minister’s latest directive.