• Envoys’ meeting in Washington aims to extend ceasefire, halt Israel’s demolitions
• Beirut sees extension as first step to talks on forces’ withdrawal, return of detainees
• Israeli strikes kill five in Lebanon, including a journalist

WASHINGTON: Lebanese and Israeli envoys are set to meet in Washington on Thursday for a second round of talks aimed at extending a shaky ceasefire, even as a fresh Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed five people, including a journalist.

Lebanon hopes the US-mediated meeting will prolong the 10-day ceasefire, which is set to expire on Sunday, and pave the way for expanded negotiations.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Beirut’s envoy, Ambassador to Washington Nada Moawad, would seek an extension as well as a halt to demolitions being carried out by Israel in southern villages.

A Lebanese official said Thursday’s meeting would be focused on two main items: extending the ceasefire and exploring a date for negotiations beyond the ambassadorial level. Lebanon’s position is that a ceasefire extension is a prerequisite for moving to the next phase, which would push for an Israeli withdrawal, the return of Lebanese detained in Israel and a delineation of the land border, the official said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to attend the meeting. Israel will be represented by its ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter.

The talks come amid continued cross-border violence. An Israeli strike killed two people in a car in the southern Lebanese village of al-Tiri on Wednesday, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported.

Hezbollah said it launched an attack drone at an Israeli artillery position in the south in response to what it called an Israeli violation of the ceasefire. The Israeli military said it had intercepted “a hostile aircraft” launched by Hezbollah toward Israeli soldiers in south Lebanon.

The Israeli military said it had killed two people who crossed its “Forward Defence Line” in south Lebanon.

Meanwhile, another Israeli airstrike in the southern town of Yohmor killed two more people, NNA and Lebanon’s health ministry said.

Separately, Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon left one journalist dead and another trapped under rubble, with rescuers temporarily blocked from reaching her by ongoing Israeli fire, Lebanon’s health ministry said.

Journalist Amal Khalil and freelance photographer Zeinab Faraj were covering developments near the town of al-Tayri when an Israeli strike hit the vehicle in front of them. They ran into a nearby house, which was then also targeted by an Israeli strike. Lebanese rescuers were able to retrieve Faraj, who had suffered a head wound. When rescuers returned to help Khalil, the Israeli military dropped a sound grenade, blocking their access to the damaged building. Khalil later died of his wounds.

More than 2,400 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel launched a major offensive in the region, according to Lebanese authorities.

Israel has seized a belt of territory at the border where its troops remain, saying it aims to create a buffer zone.

The diplomatic track in Washington has been accompanied by sharp rhetoric. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, in a speech, said Israel had taken a “historic decision to negotiate directly with Lebanon after more than 40 years” but also called Lebanon a “failed state”.

“I call on the Government of Lebanon: Let’s work together against the terror state that Hezbollah built in your territory. This cooperation is needed by you even more than by us,” Saar said.

Lebanon’s leading Druze politician, Walid Jumblatt, said on Tuesday that the most Lebanon could offer is an update to a 1949 armistice agreement with Israel.

After a meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is against face-to-face negotiations, Jumblatt said there should be a clear agenda for talks that includes a withdrawal of Israeli troops.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2026