Israel has said it is ready to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon after prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed his cabinet to move toward talks “as soon as possible.” The announcement comes against the backdrop of a fast-moving regional crisis, with Israeli strikes in Lebanon drawing condemnation in the aftermath of the US-Iran ceasefire.
Lebanese officials, however, have made clear that they do not see immediate negotiations as possible without first securing a ceasefire. That condition highlights the widening gap between the two sides as diplomacy continues alongside military escalation.
The latest developments add to growing international concern about the conflict and its impact on the wider Middle East. Israel’s bombing of Lebanon after the ceasefire prompted criticism, while governments have been pressing for measures that could prevent further escalation.
UK calls for Lebanon to be included
UK foreign minister Yvette Cooper said Lebanon must be included in any ceasefire agreement, underscoring the view in London that any regional truce cannot exclude one of the main fronts in the crisis.
Cooper also said shipping through the Strait of Hormuz must be toll-free. Her comments were reported by Reuters as part of broader discussions over maritime access and regional security.
That issue has become more prominent as ceasefire talks continue. Tehran has proposed fees or tolls on vessels seeking safe passage through the strait, a critical shipping route for global energy flows. Donald Trump suggested on Wednesday that the US and Iran could collect tolls in a joint venture, while the White House said its priority was reopening the strait without limitations.
Pressure over ceasefire terms
The debate over the Strait of Hormuz reflects how the ceasefire discussions are extending beyond battlefield issues and into questions of trade, navigation and regional control. The White House’s stated position is that the waterway should be reopened without restrictions, while Tehran’s proposal points in a different direction.
At the same time, the diplomatic focus remains on whether the Lebanon front can be brought into any broader agreement. Cooper’s remarks suggest that any settlement seen as durable would need to account for events there as well as the US-Iran ceasefire.
The Reuters report also noted a separate remark about the basis for involvement in conflict. “And my principles and values made sure that our decisions were that we wouldn’t get involved in the action without a lawful basis, without a viable, thought-through plan,” the report said.
With direct negotiations now being floated and ceasefire talks still unsettled, the latest stage of the crisis appears to be moving on several tracks at once: military pressure, diplomatic bargaining and competing demands over freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most important shipping lanes.
For now, the central question is whether the Israeli call for talks can overcome Lebanon’s insistence on a ceasefire first, and whether the wider regional disputes can be contained before they spread further.
