Direct Lebanese-Israeli negotiations are moving steadily toward a third round amid mounting regional tensions and growing uncertainty surrounding U.S.-Iranian talks.

The upcoming round carries added political significance as it will be the first headed by former ambassador Simon Karam, who has been appointed chief of the Lebanese delegation. The talks are taking place under U.S. sponsorship despite increasing opposition from the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia and its allies, who have launched political attacks against the Lebanese presidency and government over their commitment to the negotiation track.

According to Lebanese daily Nidaa al-Watan, the negotiations are expected to last two days, with ambassador-level discussions likely to take place on the first day, followed by formal talks between the heads of delegations on the second.

Sources familiar with the discussions said U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa met Lebanon’s top officials before traveling to Washington to attend the negotiations. During those meetings, Lebanese officials reportedly provided Issa with detailed briefings on the deteriorating security situation in southern Lebanon, where Israeli strikes have recently expanded beyond border areas into deeper parts of the country.

Lebanese officials also raised concerns over civilian casualties caused by Israeli military operations, arguing that the attacks contradict both the terms and spirit of the ceasefire agreement.

A senior source familiar with the discussions told Nidaa al-Watan that Lebanese officials asked Ambassador Issa to convey a direct message to the U.S. State Department urging Washington to pressure Israel to halt military operations and de-escalate tensions before Thursday’s negotiations begin.

According to the source, Beirut fears that continued Israeli military pressure could undermine the negotiations and place the talks under what officials described as “military coercion.”

The source said Lebanon’s priorities in the negotiations are first to secure a permanent ceasefire, followed by a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, the release of Lebanese detainees captured during the fighting, and the completion of Lebanese army deployments in the south to facilitate the return of displaced residents to their border villages.

Only after those steps are achieved, the source added, would discussions move to border demarcation and unresolved territorial disputes.

The source also denied reports of direct communication between President Joseph Aoun and Hezbollah at the current stage, although it stressed that the presidential palace remains open to dialogue with all parties. Political contacts are nevertheless continuing behind the scenes in an effort to contain tensions and prevent political disputes from disrupting cabinet sessions as negotiations proceed.

As diplomatic activity intensifies, Lebanon is also seeking to document the damage caused by the war. President Aoun chaired a coordination meeting involving ministries and state agencies to prepare a comprehensive file on war-related destruction and losses.

Officials said the documentation process is intended to support Lebanon’s diplomatic efforts and potential legal action at the regional and international levels.

At the same time, Lebanese-Syrian relations have reemerged as another major issue on the political agenda. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reportedly briefed President Aoun on the outcome of his recent visit to Damascus and the signals conveyed by Syrian officials regarding strategic, military, security and border-related matters.

Further meetings between President Aoun and PM Salam are expected in the coming days as Beirut seeks to define the next phase of relations with Syria.

On the diplomatic front, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji is continuing consultations with international partners, including the Vatican and Italy, in an effort to rally support for Lebanon.

Rajji is expected to meet Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani during visits to the Vatican and Rome.

According to Nidaa al-Watan, Lebanese officials are particularly counting on Vatican diplomacy, long viewed as supportive of Lebanon’s stability and sovereignty, as well as Italian backing for the Lebanese army, which Beirut considers essential to extending state authority across the country.

Meanwhile, the military situation in southern Lebanon continues to worsen.

The newspaper reported that the conflict has entered “a more dangerous phase” as Israeli airstrikes and evacuation warnings expanded north of the Litani River, reaching areas such as Mashghara and Qallaya in the western Bekaa Valley.

The escalation followed remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicating that the war against Hezbollah could continue even if the confrontation with Iran eventually ends.

Israeli Channel 12 also reported that the Israeli military is preparing to widen its ground operations in Lebanon, citing what it described as Hezbollah’s continued violations of the ceasefire agreement.

At the same time, Hezbollah has intensified drone and rocket attacks targeting Israeli forces in occupied or contested villages along the southern border.