WASHINGTON: Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, has linked any lasting ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon to the complete disarmament and dismantling of Hezbollah, underscoring Israel’s position on efforts aimed at easing tensions along the border.
The remarks came after the US State Department issued a statement regarding ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
The initiative is being facilitated by the United States as part of broader efforts to reduce hostilities and prevent further escalation in the region.
Responding to the development, Leiter welcomed the US-led diplomatic engagement and described the talks as a significant step towards achieving stability between the two neighbouring countries.
However, he stressed that the success of any ceasefire arrangement would depend on Hezbollah’s future role and activities.
In a message posted on the social media platform X, the Israeli envoy said the negotiations represented “another important step in the process to facilitate peace between Israel and Lebanon”.
What today’s outcome reiterates:
Israel and Lebanon want Iran out of our region.Together, we will work to make sure that Iran and its terror proxies won’t continue to wreak havoc on our lives in the name of terror and destruction. pic.twitter.com/LaOyjUeYZt
— Ambassador Yechiel (Michael) Leiter (@yechielleiter) June 4, 2026
He added that Israel viewed the diplomatic process positively but maintained that certain conditions must be met for a ceasefire to hold.
According to Leiter, a sustainable agreement would require a complete halt to attacks directed at Israel as well as the dismantling of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure.
He stated that the ceasefire was “entirely contingent on a complete cessation of fire towards Israel, and the complete dismantling of Hezbollah”.
His comments highlight Israel’s longstanding demand that Hezbollah be disarmed as part of any broader security arrangement in southern Lebanon.
Israeli officials have repeatedly argued that the group’s military capabilities pose a direct threat to Israel’s security and remain a key obstacle to long-term stability along the border.
The latest statement comes amid continued international efforts to prevent further conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, whose exchanges of fire have heightened concerns about regional security and the risk of a wider confrontation.
Diplomatic initiatives led by Washington have sought to encourage de-escalation and create conditions for a durable ceasefire. However, differing positions on security guarantees and the future of armed groups operating in Lebanon continue to present significant challenges to reaching a comprehensive agreement.
Israel and Lebanon agreed Wednesday to implement a ceasefire but said it would require a “complete cessation” of fire by Iran-backed Hezbollah, according to a joint statement after US-led talks in Washington.
The two sides, which do not have formal diplomatic relations, also agreed to create “pilot zones” in which the Lebanese armed forces “will take exclusive control of the territory to the exclusion of all non-state actors”.
The development came despite continued cross-border attacks earlier in the day, with Hezbollah saying it targeted Israeli troops and Israeli strikes killing at least nine people in southern Lebanon.
