U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon are set to hold direct talks for the first time in more than three decades, raising hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough amid escalating regional tensions.
In a post on Truth Social late Wednesday, Trump said the two leaders would speak on Thursday as part of renewed efforts to broker a ceasefire, following earlier talks in Washington that ended without an agreement.
“Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow,” Trump wrote.
The planned engagement would mark the first direct communication between the two nations’ leaders since 1993.
According to Israeli officials, the talks will involve Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
Israel’s Science Minister, Gila Gamliel, confirmed the development, noting that the conversation would end decades of diplomatic silence between the neighboring countries.
“Today the prime minister will speak for the first time with the president of Lebanon after so many years of a complete disconnection in the dialogue between the two countries,” she said in a radio interview.
The announcement comes amid intensified diplomatic efforts across the Middle East to contain the ongoing conflict involving Iran. Regional actors, including Pakistan, have reportedly engaged in shuttle diplomacy with Iran and Saudi Arabia in a bid to sustain and extend a fragile ceasefire.
The conflict has drawn in Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group, which has launched missile attacks against Israel following joint Israeli-U.S. strikes on Iranian targets.
Israel’s retaliatory operations in Lebanon have resulted in significant casualties, with reports indicating that more than 2,000 people have been killed. The violence has also displaced over one million residents.
Earlier this month, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel was considering establishing a security zone inside Lebanese territory, a move that could further complicate the return of displaced civilians.
The planned talks are seen as a critical step in ongoing international efforts to de-escalate tensions and prevent a broader regional conflict.