Middle East conflict
Talks between Israel and Lebanon – fighting continues
Updated May 15, 2026 – 7:03 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Diplomats from Israel and Lebanon are meeting again in Washington and are talking about resolving the conflict. One of the warring parties, the Hezbollah militia, is not at the table.
According to media reports, Israeli and Lebanese negotiators are continuing their talks in Washington. This was reported unanimously by the Arabic-language broadcaster Al-Jazeera and the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. A US State Department spokesman later said the atmosphere at the meeting was “very positive, even better than expected.”
Lebanon and Israel agreed on a ceasefire for the first time in mid-April following diplomatic-level talks. Another round of talks began on Thursday. However, the Lebanese government itself is not an active party to the conflict. Israel is fighting with the Iran-aligned Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, which is not at the table.
It was eagerly awaited whether the two governments would agree to extend the ceasefire. The previous agreement expires this Sunday (May 17th).
Dead and injured in fighting and air raids
However, mutual shelling between Israel and Hezbollah continued despite the ceasefire agreement from both sides. According to Lebanese media reports, several people were killed in Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon on Friday alone. Dozens were injured, the health authority said.
The Israeli army announced the death of a soldier in fighting in southern Lebanon. In the afternoon, the Israeli military reported that a rocket launched in southern Lebanon had been intercepted. In the early evening, Israeli media reported on suspected drones in northern Israeli airspace. The Israeli army urged residents in several villages in southern Lebanon to flee.
Almost 3,000 dead in Lebanon since fighting began
Nearly 3,000 people have been killed in the country since the latest hostilities began in early March, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Above all, the Israeli government wants to achieve the permanent disarmament of Hezbollah, which is supported by Iran. Beirut initially insists on de-escalation and a permanent ceasefire. The Lebanese government has repeatedly ruled out normalizing relations under the current conditions.
