Desk Correspondent , Washington DC - In a rare diplomatic breakthrough, Lebanese and Israeli envoys have met face to face in Washington, D.C., in direct talks described by U.S. officials as productive. The discussions, hosted by the U.S. State Department and attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, marked the first direct high level contact between the two sides in decades and signaled a fresh attempt to reduce tensions tied to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

According to reports, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, met his Lebanese counterpart, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, in the talks aimed at preparing the ground for broader negotiations. Washington said the sides agreed to launch direct negotiations at a mutually agreed time and venue, with the U.S. expressing hope for a more comprehensive peace process. The meeting took place against the backdrop of continuing violence in the region, with Hezbollah opposed to the direct engagement and tensions still running high along Lebanon’s southern border.

While the talks do not guarantee a breakthrough, they represent a meaningful shift in a relationship that has been frozen for more than 30 years. If sustained, this U.S. brokered diplomatic opening could become an important step toward a ceasefire framework and wider regional stability.