U.S. President Donald Trump said that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon are scheduled to meet on the 16th (local time).

On the 15th, on Truth Social, President Trump said that “it has been as long as 34 years since the leaders of Israel and Lebanon have had a conversation, a very long time,” adding that “it is great that a meeting will be held tomorrow.” He explained that the meeting is intended to “create some breathing room between Israel and Lebanon.”

The talks between Israel and Lebanon come as attention focuses on the possibility of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed faction. According to the New York Times (NYT), Israel and Lebanon are reportedly discussing entering a short-term ceasefire as early as the 16th, for about a week. Working-level teams from both sides had been discussing the ceasefire in Washington at the strong urging of the United States.

The Financial Times (FT), citing Lebanese officials, reported that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah would be announced soon.

However, Hezbollah’s leadership previously told the Lebanese government that it opposes entering negotiations with Israel at all and openly declared that even if an agreement were reached, it would not abide by it, leaving the prospects for a deal uncertain.

If a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon is achieved, it appears it would serve as a catalyst for end-of-war talks between the United States and Iran, which face a ceasefire expiration deadline next week. Iran has set a halt to Israeli attacks on Lebanon as a condition for end-of-war talks with the United States. President Trump has been pressuring Israel to refrain from attacking Lebanon in order to move end-of-war negotiations with Iran forward.

The United States and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire on the 8th and have continued end-of-war talks, but Israel has maintained that the Lebanese front is not covered by the ceasefire and has continued its attacks.