Meeting of Israeli and Lebanese leaders after 34 years

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon are scheduled to hold a direct phone conversation today, Thursday, April 16, 2026, marking the first such interaction in 34 years.

This breakthrough follows a high-level diplomatic meeting in Washington where Lebanese representatives urged an end to devastating Israeli strikes.

The conflict, which escalated following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader in late February, has resulted in over 2,000 deaths and displaced 1.2 million people in Lebanon.

While Prime Minister Netanyahu continues military operations to establish a "buffer zone" and disarm Hezbollah, he remains engaged in talks with the Lebanese government to secure a long-term peace agreement along the northern border.