The United States on Tuesday convened a trilateral meeting between Lebanese and Israeli officials at the State Department, marking what it described as the first major high-level engagement between the two governments since 1993.

In a joint statement issued following the two-hour meeting, the State Department said the participants held “productive discussions on steps toward launching direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon,” describing the meeting as a “historic milestone.”

“The United States congratulated the two countries on this historic milestone and expressed its support for further talks,” the statement said, adding that Washington backs “the Government of Lebanon’s plans to restore the monopoly of force and to end Iran’s overbearing influence.”

The United States also voiced hope that future negotiations could “exceed the scope of the 2024 agreement and bring about a comprehensive peace deal,” while reaffirming its support for Israel’s right to defend itself against continued attacks by Hezbollah.

At the same time, Washington stressed that any agreement to halt hostilities must be negotiated directly between the Lebanese and Israeli governments under U.S. mediation.

“Any agreement to cease hostilities must be reached between the two governments, brokered by the United States, and not through any separate track,” the statement said.

U.S. officials also highlighted the potential economic impact of the talks, saying the negotiations could “unlock significant reconstruction assistance and economic recovery for Lebanon” and expand investment opportunities for both countries.

For its part, Israel reiterated its position that any future agreement must address armed groups operating outside State control. The statement said Israel expressed support for “disarming all non-state terror groups and dismantling all terror infrastructure in Lebanon,” and affirmed its willingness to work with the Lebanese government to achieve that objective.

Israel also signaled readiness to move forward diplomatically, expressing “its commitment to engage in direct negotiations to resolve all outstanding issues and achieve a durable peace that will strengthen security, stability and prosperity in the region.”

Lebanon, meanwhile, emphasized the urgency of de-escalation. According to the statement, Beirut “reaffirmed the urgent need for the full implementation of the cessation of hostilities announcement of November 2024,” while underscoring “the principles of territorial integrity and full State sovereignty.”

Lebanese officials also called for “a ceasefire and concrete measures to address and alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis that the country continues to endure as a result of the ongoing conflict,” the statement added.

All sides agreed to launch direct negotiations at a mutually agreed time and venue, signaling a potential next phase in U.S.-brokered efforts to reduce tensions and lay the groundwork for a broader agreement between the two countries.

The meeting brought together U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, State Department Counselor Michael Needham, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Israel’s Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter, and Lebanon’s Ambassador to Washington Nada Hamadeh Mouawad.