Lebanese President Joseph Aoun held talks with US Vice President JD Vance on Monday regarding the creation of a new mechanism aimed at preventing renewed violence between Israel and Hezbollah, as regional powers seek to preserve a fragile pause in hostilities.
According to the Lebanese presidency, the discussions focused on measures to strengthen the ceasefire and prevent military incidents from escalating into a broader conflict. The proposal emerged following the first round of US-Iran negotiations in Switzerland, where mediators from Pakistan and Qatar announced an agreement to establish a “de-confliction cell” for Lebanon.
The initiative is intended to support the implementation of agreements aimed at ending the wider Middle East conflict and reducing the risk of renewed clashes along the Israeli-Lebanese border.
Despite the diplomatic efforts, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed that Israeli forces would retain broad authority to act against perceived threats in southern Lebanon.
In a statement, Netanyahu said Israeli troops had been granted “full freedom of action” to respond to any direct or emerging threat to soldiers or residents in northern Israel. He stressed that the military’s operational directives remained unchanged and that forces would continue to be deployed in the area as long as necessary.
Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah intensified after the Lebanese group launched rocket attacks on Israel on March 2 in support of Iran, drawing Lebanon deeper into the regional conflict. The violence repeatedly threatened diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a broader settlement.
The Lebanese presidency said Aoun received a call from Vance, senior US adviser Jared Kushner, and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. The leaders discussed steps to consolidate the ceasefire and explore mechanisms to halt further Israeli military escalation.
Speaking at a press conference in Switzerland, Vance said the proposed de-confliction mechanism was designed to ensure that incidents do not trigger a wider confrontation.
He said the United States believed it was possible to protect both Lebanon’s sovereignty and Israel’s security through coordination involving the Lebanese Armed Forces and efforts to restrain Hezbollah’s military activities.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also referenced the initiative, describing the Lebanon de-confliction arrangement as the first significant test of the broader US-Iran understanding reached last week.
The United Nations reported encouraging signs on the ground. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said peacekeepers in Lebanon observed no missile launches or interceptions on Sunday, marking the first such day since hostilities resumed in March. The calm reportedly continued into Monday.
A fifth round of direct Lebanese-Israeli talks, launched in Washington in April under US sponsorship, is scheduled to begin Tuesday. Lebanese officials continue to seek a full Israeli troop withdrawal while insisting that negotiations concerning Lebanon remain separate from broader US-Iran discussions.
Aoun emphasized that Lebanon welcomes international assistance in ending the conflict but would not accept outside interference in its internal affairs, a remark widely viewed as directed at Iran’s long-standing influence through Hezbollah.
