Israeli and Lebanese representatives are set to begin another two-day round of US-mediated talks in Rome on Tuesday, marking the sixth round of direct negotiations since the ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel was declared in April.
The meeting follows a US-brokered agreement reached in late June that outlined a roadmap for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the expanded deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Negotiators are expected to discuss implementation of the agreement, focusing on the first “pilot zones” where Israeli forces would withdraw and the Lebanese army would assume security control.
The agenda also includes verification mechanisms, security arrangements and timelines for future withdrawals. Israel has reportedly prepared to leave limited areas ahead of the Rome meeting, although no official timetable for a full withdrawal has been announced.
Unlike the previous round, which concluded with the signing of the agreement, only civilian officials are expected to attend this time, with no military representatives, an Israeli source told Haaretz.
On the previous talks
Israel’s latest occupation began in March after Hezbollah fired missiles into northern Israel, in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes on Iran, prompting Israel to launch air strikes and a ground offensive in Lebanon.
Washington hosted the first direct talks between Israeli and Lebanese delegations in more than three decades on April 14, 2026, establishing a formal diplomatic channel.
Although it produced no substantive agreements on the core disputes, the breakthrough ended years of indirect contacts and created a mechanism for continued negotiations.
During the second and third rounds held on April 23 and May 14, negotiators established technical working groups to discuss Israeli withdrawals from southern Lebanon and the deployment of the Lebanese army.
The meetings helped build confidence and establish a structured negotiating process. However, unresolved differences over implementation and security guarantees stalled further progress.
The fourth and fifth rounds, held on June 3 and June 23, marked a shift from confidence-building measures towards drafting a broader political framework.
By late June, the parties agreed to a US-sponsored roadmap linking phased Israeli withdrawals to an expanded Lebanese army deployment and the dismantling of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
The roadmap represented the most significant breakthrough in the negotiations, providing the first structured framework endorsed by both governments.
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