Lebanon and Israel have held direct diplomatic talks for the first time in decades. Tuesday's more than two-hour meeting at the State Department came after more than a month of conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the talks a "historic opportunity," while Israel's ambassador to the U.S. hailed what he called a convergence of opinion about removing Hezbollah's influence from Lebanon. Hezbollah opposed the direct talks and wasn't represented. There was no immediate comment from the Lebanese side. The Lebanese government hopes the talks will lead to an end to the war, which has killed over 2,000 people there.

A senior Hezbollah official says the Lebanese militant group will not abide by any agreements made in upcoming direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in the United States. The talks, which are to start on Tuesday, will be the first in decades. Hezbollah opposes these negotiations, viewing Israel as an enemy. Lebanese officials hope for a ceasefire, while Israel is seeking Hezbollah's disarmament and a potential peace agreement. Wafiq Safa, a high-ranking member of Hezbollah's political council, told The Associated Press in a rare interview on Monday that Hezbollah is "not interested in or concerned with" these negotiations in the U.S.

The Lebanese army has condemned Israel's airstrikes on suburbs of Beirut, warning that such attacks are weakening the role of Lebanon's armed forces that might eventually suspend cooperation with the committee monitoring the truce that ended the Israel-Hezbollah war. The army's statement Friday came hours after the Israeli military struck several buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs that it said held underground facilities used by Hezbollah for drone production. The Lebanese army said it started coordinating with the committee observing the ceasefire after Israel's military issued a warning and sent patrols to the areas that were to be struck to search them.