Israel and Lebanon set to meet for first direct talks in more than 30 years

Special Series Middle East conflict Conflict in the Middle East has been escalating. These stories provide context for current developments and the history that led up to them. By Kat Lonsdorf , Daniel Estrin People at a cemetery in Choueifat on Monday stand amid the graves of Hezbollah fighters killed in Israeli strikes. The talks are aimed at preparing negotiations to resolve Israel's conflict with the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. No major breakthrough is expected to result from the meeting. But an official briefed on Israel's strategy, who was not authorized to speak publicly, described Tuesday's talks to NPR as "preparatory" and meant to lay out a framework for future negotiations. Israel invaded southern Lebanon, destroying 40,000 homes, according to Lebanese officials, and carrying out strikes killing Hezbollah operatives and civilians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz both joined invading troops inside Lebanon over the weekend, where Katz said Israel would remove the threat "just as we did in Gaza," including demolishing homes so they can't become "terror outposts." Lebanon wants to negotiate a ceasefire, while Israel wants Lebanon to take steps to disarm Hezbollah first. Israel is preparing for a long-term occupation of southern Lebanon to keep Hezbollah away from Israel's border, according to the official. Middle East conflict In Lebanon, more than 50 medics have been killed by Israel. Some say they're targeted The two countries have no formal relations, and their meeting comes amid a shaky two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran. The continued dispute over whether the truce extended to Israel's attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon has undermined the tenuous agreement. The talks between Israel and Lebanon are not supported by Hezbollah, which has called on the Lebanese government to cancel them. Israel and Hezbollah continued to trade fire into Tuesday. Israeli airstrikes hit border villages that Israel says it is seizing from Lebanon to create what it calls a "security zone" to prevent Hezbollah from firing cross-border rockets. Hezbollah has launched rockets into northern Israel daily and fought against the invading Israeli military in southern Lebanon. "No one has the right to take Lebanon down this path without internal consensus among its components — and this has not happened." Paramedics from the Nabatieh Medics search a building for survivors minutes after an Israeli airstrike on Monday in Nabatieh, Lebanon. Chris McGrath/Getty Images hide caption Israel says it will not agree to any deal unless there's a tangible plan with the Lebanese government for disarming Hezbollah. But what influence the Lebanese government that's holding these talks has on Hezbollah remains unclear. Hezbollah is a major political party in Lebanon and holds seats in parliament. It is also a militia that operates largely independently of the Lebanese government and receives funding and direction from Iran. Israel has long demanded that Hezbollah give up its weapons. But the group has continued to stockpile arms. During a ceasefire agreed to in 2024 by Israel and Lebanon, which was in place until March 2 of this year, U.N. peacekeepers recorded more than 10,000 violations of that agreement, and nearly all of them were from Israel. The expectations for the talks were low in Beirut on Tuesday. "There will never be peace between Israel and Lebanon," said Ali Abboud, a 37-year-old who was standing by the rubble of an apartment building in the center of the city, waiting to see if his sister's remains would be found. Sponsor Message Become an NPR sponsor