Israel and Lebanon begin new round of talks in Washington amid ongoing fighting
On May 15, 2026, representatives from Israel and Lebanon began a new round of two-day negotiations at the U.S. State Department in Washington. The talks take place as an April 17 ceasefire is set to expire on May 17, 2026. Despite the ongoing diplomacy, military operations have persisted, with the IDF conducting strikes on over 65 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon in the last 24 hours. Lebanon's Ministry of Health reports that since the ceasefire began, over 400 people have been killed, and more than 10,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged. Hezbollah, which remains at odds with the Lebanese government over disarmament and security terms, launched a drone attack that injured civilians in northern Israel on May 15. The Lebanese government is pushing for stronger security guarantees, while Israel continues to target Hezbollah infrastructure, leading to evacuation orders for several villages in southern Lebanon. Previous efforts to facilitate a high-level meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun remain unfulfilled due to disagreements over security conditions.