Israel, Lebanon officials meet as pressure mounts to disarm Hezbollah

Talks come as Israel launches near-daily attacks across Lebanon in what Hezbollah says is disarmament pressure campaign.Published On 19 Dec 2025The committee tasked with overseeing a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah has held talks in southern Lebanon, as Israel and the United States ramp up pressure to disarm the Lebanese group.Civilian and military delegations from Israel and Lebanon met in the southern Lebanese town of Naqoura on Friday for closed-door discussions, the 15th such gathering since the truce was signed in November 2024.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Moscow’s narrative wobbles as Ukraine takes back Kupiansklist 2 of 3‘War on terror’ defence of Trump boat strikes doesn’t hold water: Expertslist 3 of 3Who was Sharif Osman Hadi; why is Bangladesh on fire over his death?end of listThe US embassy in Beirut said military participants offered “operational updates” and agreed on the need to strengthen the Lebanese army as a guarantor of security south of the Litani River.“Civilian participants, in parallel, focused on setting conditions for residents to return safely to their homes, advancing reconstruction, and addressing economic priorities,” the embassy said in a statement.“They underscored that durable political and economic progress is essential to reinforcing security gains and sustaining lasting peace.”The talks come as Israel has repeatedly violated the ceasefire with Hezbollah, carrying out near-daily attacks across Lebanon, most notably in the south.The Israeli military launched a series of air strikes across the country a day before the Friday meetings, claiming in a statement that it was targeting the Lebanese group’s military operatives and infrastructure.Reporting from Naqoura, Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr said the talks were expected to focus on solidifying what has largely been a one-sided truce.“At least that is what Lebanon wants,” she said. “The Israeli army still occupies more than 10 square kilometres [about 4sq miles] of Lebanese territory along the border.”Next meeting in JanuaryAfter the meetings, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met Lebanese diplomat Simon Karam, who has been appointed as the country’s top civilian negotiator.