Lebanese and Israeli delegations are scheduled to begin a third round of talks in Washington on Thursday to discuss ending the war and extending a ceasefire. This meeting follows a previous session on April 23 at the White House, where US President Donald Trump announced a three-week ceasefire extension that is set to expire on Monday, May 18.
The talks take place as hostilities, which reignited on March 2, continue to escalate between the Israeli military and Hezbollah. The current ceasefire is fraying, with the Israeli government showing little incentive to compromise and Lebanese officials unable to disarm Hezbollah.
Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, Israeli strikes have killed more than 400 people since the truce came into effect on April 17. On Wednesday, drone strikes targeting vehicles along the coastal highway in Jiyeh, south of Beirut, killed twelve people, including two children. These attacks occurred just one day before the planned US-brokered talks in Washington.