Israel-Lebanon peace talks begin

Historic diplomatic negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are commencing in Washington, marking the first face-to-face talks since 1993.

The meeting, hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, comes after more than a month of intense warfare that has devastated southern Lebanon and displaced over a million people.

However, the prospects for a breakthrough remain fragile as Hezbollah has already rejected the legitimacy of the talks, vowing not to abide by any resulting agreements.

Israel is expected to propose a long-term military presence in southern border areas, a condition likely to face stiff resistance from Lebanese negotiators.