Israel-Lebanon talks delayed to October amid Hezbollah disarmament disputes
US-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon have been postponed from the week of September 15 to October, a US State Department official confirmed on September 12, 2026. The meeting, initially planned in Rome, will now take place next month, with both countries' ambassadors expected to meet at the US State Department to discuss implementing a framework agreement aimed at disarming Hezbollah and facilitating Israeli troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
The postponement highlights growing disagreements over the pace of Hezbollah's disarmament. A Lebanese official accused Israeli forces of carrying out indiscriminate strikes in southern Lebanon, arguing these attacks undermine Beirut's efforts to secure Hezbollah's disarmament. Conversely, Israel maintains that the Lebanese Armed Forces is not yet capable of fully dismantling Hezbollah's military infrastructure, citing scheduling difficulties as the reason for the delay.
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