New round of Israel-Lebanon talks start in Washington, US official says no restrictions on IDF freedom of action in southern Lebanon

Israel and Lebanon held a fresh round of talks in Washington in an attempt to achieve an end to the fighting in Lebanon and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the country. 

Delegations from both countries met at the U.S. State Department on Tuesday to resume rare direct negotiations. 

Despite the resumption of discussions and the announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump of a renewed ceasefire in Lebanon, both Hezbollah and Israel continued to trade blows over the past day. 

Hezbollah leadership said the group would not accept a partial ceasefire with Israel, refusing to stop its rocket and drone attacks on Israeli targets, as long as Israel is conducting strikes against Hezbollah targets. 

“We will not accept a partial ceasefire,” Mahmoud Qomati, deputy head of the group’s political wing, told AFP in a written statement. Qomati said “the Zionist enemy should know that any aggression against the suburbs could lead to a deeper and stronger response” from Hezbollah. 

Four more Israeli soldiers were injured by Hezbollah drones following Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon. While rocket alarms have continued to sound in Israel’s northern communities, the IDF announced the successful interception of rockets from Lebanon towards Israel on Wednesday morning. 

Israel has also continued to strike targets in Lebanon associated with the Hezbollah terror organization. 

Six people were killed in Israeli strikes in the coastal city of Tyre, Lebanese media reported. According to those reports, four of the people were Syrian nationals, while the other two were Palestinians. 

Additionally, the Lebanese Army reported that two Lebanese soldiers were wounded in an Israeli strike on a military vehicle. 

An Israeli drone targeted a military vehicle on the Deir al-Zahrani - Nabatieh road, resulting in injuries to an officer and a soldier. The Lebanese Army said in a social media post. 

بتاريخ ٣ /٦ /٢٠٢٦، استهدفت مسيّرة إسرائيلية معادية آلية للجيش على طريق دير الزهراني - النبطية، ما أدى إلى إصابة ضابط وعسكري بجروح، يأتي ذلك في سياق الاستهداف المتعمّد لعناصر الجيش وآلياته ومراكزه.
يتزامن ذلك مع الاعتداءات الإسرائيلية المتواصلة على لبنان، ولا سيما الجنوب، الأمر… pic.twitter.com/cCvXrJgNqT

— الجيش اللبناني (@LebarmyOfficial) June 3, 2026

The IDF has not yet commented on the alleged strike. 

IDF Arabic spokesman Col. Avichai Adraee issued evacuation notices for several villages in southern Lebanon ahead of Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. 

#عاجل ‼️انذار عاجل الى سكان لبنان المتواجدين في البلدات والقرى التالية: جباع, حومين الفوقا, اركي

🔸في ضوء قيام حزب الله الارهابي بخرق اتفاق وقف اطلاق النار واستهدافه للجبهة الداخلية الاسرائيلية يضطر جيش الدفاع للعمل ضده بقوةّ لا سيما في مناطقكم. جيش الدفاع لا ينوي المساس بكم.… pic.twitter.com/6duxPVi49d

— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) June 3, 2026

Residents of Jbaa, Houmine El Faouqa, and Arkey were instructed to evacuate the towns and remain at least a kilometer away. 

A U.S. official told public broadcaster Kan News that the current approach in Washington is to contain the fighting in Lebanon. He said, "There is not necessarily a restriction on [Israeli] military operations in southern Lebanon.” 

He also said that President Trump is trying  to prevent a serious escalation, to prevent Lebanon from becoming an issue in the negotiations with Iran. 

Meanwhile, UN Ambassador Mike Waltz said that the U.S. is seeking a clear path to peace between Lebanon and Israel. 

“The path is clear,” Waltz said in comments to the UN. “Hizballah stops attacking Israel. The Lebanese Armed Forces and the legitimate Government of Lebanon assert control over Lebanese territory, and Iran stops using Lebanon as a forward operating base.”