News photographers wait for U.S. President Donald Trump to walk out of the Oval Office to speak with reporters at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 13, 2026. (Credit: Jonathan Ernst/ Reuters)
After U.S. President Donald Trump stated Wednesday evening that the "leaders of Israel and Lebanon" would speak on Thursday, an official source told AFP that they were "not aware" of any upcoming contact with Israel.
"We are not aware of any planned contact with the Israeli side and we have not been informed of it through official channels," the source said.
On Wednesday evening, the day after the first direct talks between the two countries and as the Israeli cabinet refused a cease-fire, Trump announced on his Truth Social network that he was "trying to create a little bit of respite between Israel and Lebanon." "It's been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, about 34 years. It's going to happen tomorrow. Great!" he wrote.
Trump did not specify which leaders would be involved in the discussions or how they would take place. According to local media, the announcement followed a meeting at the White House between President Trump and U.S. Ambassador to Beirut Michel Issa.
The Israeli cabinet met for several hours Wednesday night to consider the possibility of a cease-fire, but no agreement was reached.
Earlier, a senior U.S. official indicated that the U.S. president would welcome an end to hostilities in Lebanon with a peace agreement with Israel. He clarified, however, that this potential agreement was not part of the negotiations between the United States and Iran aimed at achieving a lasting end to the Middle East war, which began on Feb. 28 with an Israeli-American attack on Iran. A truce has been in effect since April 8.
"The United States wants to see a lasting peace, but has not demanded an immediate ceasefire" between Israel and Hezbollah, the official told the press, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Israel and Lebanon agreed Tuesday to begin direct negotiations following talks between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors in the United States, the first of their kind since 1993. The Lebanese ambassador, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, said she had called for a cease-fire in Lebanon during the meeting, which Israel has so far rejected.
Since March 2, Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon have killed 2,167 people, while the Israeli army continues its invasion of southern Lebanon, where it aims to establish a "safe zone," and is razing entire villages.
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