Trump says Israel-Lebanon talks to take place on Thursday

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Israel-Lebanon talks will take place on Thursday.

"Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Israel and Lebanon on Tuesday held a meeting in Washington, where Israel insisted on Hezbollah's disarmament and Lebanon called for a ceasefire and concrete measures to ease the severe humanitarian crisis resulting from the US-Israeli war with Iran, according to a statement from the US State Department.

All sides agreed to launch direct negotiations at a mutually agreed time and venue, said the statement.

The meeting marked the first major high-level engagement between Israel and Lebanon since 1993, it said.