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The United States will sponsor a new round of talks between Israel and Lebanon in Rome in early September as both nations work toward ending ongoing hostilities, a State Department official announced Tuesday.
The upcoming session follows a framework deal reached in June that requires Hezbollah to disarm, Israeli forces to gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon, and the Lebanese military to deploy into designated test areas.
The official noted that working groups have aligned their procedures, maps, and language and confirmed that interim discussions will continue in Beirut, Jerusalem, and Washington.
While the preliminary agreement and a broader US-Iran pact have reduced overall violence, conflict persists in the region.
Israel launched heavy airstrikes and a ground invasion after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in March, resulting in over 4,300 deaths according to Lebanese authorities.
Although Hezbollah rejects direct negotiations and refuses to lay down its arms, Lebanon will present detailed security roadmaps for additional zones during the next round of technical talks in Rome.
