Third round of Israel-Lebanon meetings begin at US State Department

The third round of US-mediated Lebanon-Israel talks began at the State Department on Thursday, as the death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon continued to rise, officials and sources said.

Lebanese diplomatic sources confirmed the start of the negotiations that are expected to last for two days.

Separately, a State Department official told Anadolu that the US is being represented by Counselor Michael Needham, US envoy to Israel Mike Huckabee, and US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa.

Lebanon is being represented by Amb. Nada Hamadeh, and Lebanese presidential special envoy Simon Karam, the official said. Amb. Yechiel Leiter, Deputy National Security Advisor Yossi Draznin, and senior military representatives are representing Israel.

Earlier on Thursday, an Israeli strike on residential complex in the southern Lebanese town of Srifa in Tyre killed two people, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.

In a separate attack, one person was injured in a drone strike in an area between the towns of Breqaa and Zrariyeh in Nabatieh, NNA said.

Israeli warplanes also carried out strikes in the towns of Ain al-Tineh, Yahmar, Loubaya, and Sohmor in the western Bekaa region of eastern Lebanon. No information was yet available about casualties.

Since March 2, Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed at least 2,896 people, injured over 8,824, and displaced more than 1.6 million, about one-fifth of the country’s population, according to Lebanese officials.

The Israeli army continues daily strikes in Lebanon and exchanges of fire with Hezbollah despite a ceasefire that was announced on April 17 and later extended until May 17.

*Wassim Samih Seifeddine contributed from Beirut, and Rabia Iclal Turan from Washington