A second day of talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials is taking place in Washington, DC, despite ongoing Israeli attacks and ceasefire violations in Lebanon.

Third Round of Direct Negotiations

Both delegations, including each country’s ambassador to the United States, arrived at the State Department on Friday morning for the continued discussions, the third round of direct negotiations between the two sides this year.

“Productive and positive” talks on Thursday went on for eight hours, a US official told the Reuters news agency, with few details on what was discussed.

It came as Israel launched new attacks on Lebanon on Friday, killing at least seven people in the south, according to the Lebanese state news agency NNA. The Lebanese Ministry of Health said 2,951 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since March 2, when fighting between Israel and Hezbollah reignited.

Since then, Israel has lost 20 troops including another soldier killed in fighting with Hezbollah on Friday.

Lebanon and Israel at Odds

There is little information on what was discussed on the first day of the closed-door talks, with the US official saying they hoped to have more to share after the conclusion of Friday’s meeting. Lebanese and Israeli officials have not commented.

Both sides are approaching the talks from different positions, with Lebanon insisting that Israel fully end its attacks and occupation of its territory; Israel is focused on the disarmament of Iran-backed Hezbollah – and a potential normalisation agreement between the two countries.

Despite these differences, the talks are significant, being face-to-face and the third round this year.

Lebanon has sent Presidential Special Envoy Simon Karam, while Israel’s Deputy National Security Adviser Yossi Draznin is also there.

Despite encouragement from US President Donald Trump, Lebanon has so far refused a meeting between President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; Aoun has insisted that full normalisation is not on the table, and that Lebanon is pushing for the ceasefire to be enforced before negotiations continue.

The Lebanese president is treading carefully, seeking to balance US pressure and a desire to stop Israel’s attacks without appearing to be conceding too much to Israel.

Continued Attacks and Casualties

While some Lebanese would tolerate the meetings between Lebanese and Israeli officials if they end the war, Hezbollah and its allies are adamant that the talks should have been indirect.

Israeli attacks have killed at least seven people in Lebanon on Friday, including two in a drone strike on a car in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh, where Mohammed Ahmed Abu Zaid and Jamal Noureddine were collecting humanitarian aid. Three ambulances were damaged in the attack, Lebanon’s state news agency reported.

Another drone attack in Harouf killed three people and two others died in Tabeen.

Israeli attacks in Tyre district injured 37 people on Friday, according to the Ministry of Health.

Israel issued forced evacuation orders for five villages in southern Lebanon, claiming it was striking Hezbollah targets in the area — Hezbollah said it carried out several drone attacks on Israel and Israeli troops in Lebanon, with several “explosive drones” falling in northern Israel.