Israeli strikes in Lebanon kill 12 ahead of Washington talks

BEIRUT: Israeli airstrikes on vehicles in Lebanon killed 12 people on Wednesday, including two children, Lebanon's health ministry said, a day before Lebanese and Israeli officials were due to meet in Washington.

According to the ministry, the deaths occurred in strikes that hit cars in different parts of Lebanon. Security sources told Reuters that some of the Israeli attacks targeted vehicles far beyond the main conflict zone in the south, including on the coastal highway south of Beirut.

The strikes came ahead of talks in Washington on Thursday, where Lebanon's Simon Karam and Israel's Yechiel Leiter are set to meet face to face.

Lebanon and Israel do not have formal diplomatic relations, but US President Donald Trump is seeking a historic breakthrough, even as Israeli troops remain deployed in southern Lebanon in operations against Hezbollah.

Talks set against continuing tensions

The planned meeting is taking place amid unresolved disputes between the two sides over security and the implementation of a ceasefire linked to the latest war.

Lebanon is seeking to reinforce the ceasefire and secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the south. Israel, for its part, wants guarantees that Hezbollah will be disarmed.

Beirut has said that Israeli attacks must stop before any negotiations can begin. Hezbollah, meanwhile, has rejected any direct engagement between Lebanon and Israel.

The latest strikes underscored the fragile situation on the ground as diplomatic efforts continue in Washington.

The developments place Thursday's talks under added pressure, with violence continuing even as the United States pushes for progress between the two sides.

Lebanon's position, as outlined in the report, is focused on consolidating the ceasefire and obtaining an Israeli military withdrawal. Israel's stated objective is to ensure that Hezbollah is disarmed.

The meeting between Karam and Leiter is notable because the two countries have no formal ties, making any direct contact politically sensitive. The talks are also being held while Israeli forces remain in southern Lebanon and cross-border tensions continue.

Wednesday's strikes, including those reported outside the main southern theatre of conflict, highlighted the wider reach of the violence at a time when diplomatic engagement is being pursued.