Rubio says Israel-Lebanon peace deal is achievable but Hezbollah remains the obstacle

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says peace between Israel and Lebanon is achievable, but he calls Hezbollah the main hurdle.

A path to Israel-Lebanon peace may be within reach, but U.S. officials say Hezbollah is the central obstacle.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that a peace deal could be imminently achievable, framing the issue less as a dispute between the two countries and more as a problem tied to Hezbollah.

This distinction matters because it shifts the focus from border talks alone to questions about enforcement and control on the ground.

Rubio argued that what needs to happen in Lebanon is the emergence of a Lebanese government with the capability to confront Hezbollah and dismantle its position.. He did not present a timetable, but his comments underscored that any durable arrangement would depend on Lebanon’s ability to act against the group.

Lebanon’s government is seeking a permanent understanding with its U.S. ally Israel aimed at breaking what it describes as a repeated cycle of Israeli invasions and strikes. At the same time, Lebanon has stopped short of describing its goal as a formal peace agreement.

For Washington, that nuance is significant: it suggests negotiations may be oriented toward security arrangements while still avoiding the label of full normalization.

Israel, according to Rubio’s remarks, maintains that any deal must include permanently disarming Hezbollah.. The statements come as violence has continued, following a period when Israel intensified air attacks on Lebanon after Hezbollah fired missiles toward Israel on March 2.. In the days that followed, Israel expanded a ground operation in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon’s health ministry has said Israeli attacks since March 2 have caused thousands of deaths and large-scale displacement. Israel has also pointed to losses among its forces and said civilians have been hit by Hezbollah attacks.

In this context, an extended ceasefire does not resolve the deeper dispute about who controls armed threats, and that is where the debate has largely concentrated.

Israel and Lebanon agreed to a fragile ceasefire in mid-April that has been extended into May. Yet Israel has continued to maintain an occupation in southern Lebanon and has demolished villages there, while Hezbollah has continued attacks on Israeli forces.

Rubio’s comments also reflect competing views about the wider conflict.. Tehran has said that any broader arrangement would need to address Israeli actions in Lebanon as well, while Washington has said the issues are separate.. Misryoum will continue tracking how these positions affect the prospects for a negotiated outcome.