The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, stated this Tuesday that both Israel and Lebanon seek peace with each other and that both countries are victims of Hezbollah, in remarks published by the Department of State on its official account on X.
"Both the Lebanese and the Israelis seek peace. They are both victims of Hezbollah," Rubio stated in an interview with Fox News, emphasizing that the conflict is "unique" because "Lebanon and Israel are not at war" with each other.
The Secretary of State stated that "Israel's problem is with Hezbollah" and that "unfortunately, Hezbollah is within Lebanon carrying out attacks against Israel," making it clear that the Lebanese state is not the adversary but rather another victim of the armed organization.
Rubio also dismissed any claims that Israel has territorial ambitions in the neighboring country, stating that Tel Aviv is not seeking to maintain a buffer zone in Lebanon indefinitely.
These statements come in the midst of an unprecedented diplomatic process that Rubio himself has been leading since mid-April. On the 14th of that month, Rubio presided over the first direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon in more than 30 years, with Lebanese Ambassador Nada Moawad and Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter as key figures in Washington.
The president Donald Trump announced on April 16 a historic ceasefire of ten days between both countries, negotiated directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. The following day, Trump explicitly prohibited Israel from bombing Lebanon with a forceful "Enough already!".
Last Wednesday, the United States extended the ceasefire for three additional weeks, until mid-May, following a second round of negotiations in Washington. Rubio expressed optimism at that time, stating that "in the coming weeks we will be closer to the kind of lasting peace that the people of Israel and Lebanon deserve."
The main obstacle remains Hezbollah. Last Monday, its leader Naim Qassem categorically rejected direct negotiations, stating that "they do not concern us in the slightest" and reaffirming that "our weapons protect the existence of Lebanon" and that he will not abandon them. Qassem described the talks as a "grave sin" and a "humiliation" for the Lebanese state.
President Aoun immediately condemned those statements. Despite the ceasefire in place, Israel carried out attacks on Tuesday against alleged Hezbollah facilities in Lebanese territory, and since the ceasefire came into effect on April 17, at least 36 deaths have been reported in Lebanon.
The conflict that sparked these negotiations erupted on March 2, 2026, when Hezbollah fired projectiles at Israel in solidarity with Iran, resulting in over 2,290 dead in Lebanon, 23 in Israel, and more than a million displaced individuals. The UN is set to present recommendations to the Security Council regarding the peace process in June 2026.
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