A fifth round of U.S.-brokered talks between Lebanon and Israel is set to take place today in Washington. The discussions come after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the IDF would remain in Lebanon, prompting President Donald Trump to respond overnight to reporters: “It will be solved, I solve problems quickly, including with Bibi.”
According to Lebanon’s Nidaa Al-Watan, the military and political delegations will focus on two core Lebanese demands, consolidating the ceasefire and securing an Israeli withdrawal. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Lebanon is committed to its sovereignty and its exclusive right to manage its own affairs, adding that any outside assistance is welcome as long as it does not become interference. “We are negotiating for ourselves, and we will not accept that any other party do it in our place,” he said.
London-based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported that U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance discussed, in a video call with the Lebanese president, Lebanon’s new coordination mechanism, which does not include Israel. The report said a mechanism has been established to oversee the ceasefire in Lebanon and another to dismantle Hezbollah’s weapons, with Iran expected to restrain it.
Separately, Channel 13 reported that Trump is in practice limiting Israel not only in Lebanon but across other arenas as well. Israeli political leaders have reportedly issued the IDF formal instructions defining what is and is not allowed in Lebanon, permitting action only inside the “yellow line” and for immediate threat prevention, while banning operations in more distant areas including Beirut and Tyre. A senior Israeli official told Channel 13, “The message we have received in recent weeks from the Americans is clear, you had a credit to act without restriction, and it is over.”
Last night, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir held a meeting with senior officers on Gaza, centered on Hamas’s growing strength. The recommendation presented was to begin operations in the Strip to disarm Hamas, at whatever intensity the political echelon chooses, but the assessment in the room was that Trump may also block any major move there and may be willing to compromise with Hamas on disarmament.
