Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he has ordered the start of negotiations with Lebanon, which are expected to address the issue of disarming Hezbollah.
Israel resumed attacks against Hezbollah operating in Lebanon on 2 March, after the Iran-backed group began launching rockets toward Israel.
Since then, Israel has carried out strikes both in Iran and Lebanon simultaneously.
On 9 April 2026, Netanyahu released a statement indicating that Lebanon had repeatedly called for negotiations aimed at achieving lasting peace.
He said, “Following Lebanon’s repeated requests to engage in direct talks, I have instructed the government to begin negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible. The discussions will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon.”
The Lebanese government says Israeli attacks have killed around 1,700 people and forced more than one million residents to flee their homes.
According to Reuters, the strikes have also killed around 400 Hezbollah fighters.