Western diplomatic sources told LBCI that Wednesday’s meeting of the ceasefire monitoring mechanism unfolded more smoothly than expected, marking a rare moment of direct engagement between Lebanese and Israeli representatives.

The session was split into two parts. The first brought together military officers from both sides under the framework of the regular monitoring mechanism. The second, held separately, was restricted to civilian participants.

According to the sources, Israeli and Lebanese civilian delegates spoke face-to-face in the presence of U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus. The conversation touched on some of the most sensitive issues, including Hezbollah’s arsenal and Israel’s ongoing strikes in Lebanon.

A substantial portion of the civilian-level talks centered on economic matters. The two sides discussed potential cooperative projects in southern Lebanon that could serve as early confidence-building steps, the sources said.