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A third round of direct talks between Israel and Lebanon has kicked off in Washington, DC, days before the expiration of a “ceasefire” that hardly halted Israeli attacks and Hezbollah’s response to them.
The talks, which began on Thursday, represent a step towards more serious negotiations, with higher-level envoys from Lebanon and Israel taking part after the initial preparatory sessions were headed by the ambassadors of the two countries to Washington.
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Lebanese officials are hoping that the two-day negotiations will yield a new ceasefire deal and pave the way for tackling a series of thorny issues, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who attended the first Israel-Lebanon meetings in Washington in April, was with US President Donald Trump on a visit to China and did not attend Thursday’s session.
Lebanon’s envoy heading up Thursday’s talks, Simon Karam, is an attorney and well-connected former Lebanese ambassador to the United States who recently represented Lebanon in indirect talks with Israel over implementation of the ceasefire that preceded the latest outbreak of war between Israel and Hezbollah.
On the Israeli side, Deputy National Security Adviser Yossi Draznin was set to attend.
“We do not want to downplay the significance of these talks, but they are ambassador-level talks, excluding top leadership from Israel, Lebanon and the US,” said Al Jazeera’s Manuel Rapalo, reporting from Washington, DC, adding that there is no diplomatic relationship between Lebanon and Israel.
Trump has publicly called for a meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while Aoun has declined to meet or speak directly with Netanyahu at this stage – a move that would likely generate blowback in Lebanon.
Hezbollah, meanwhile, is not part of the talks and has been vocally opposed to Lebanon engaging in direct negotiations with Israel.
A lawmaker from the Iran-backed group, Ali Ammar, on Thursday reiterated his group’s rejection of the direct talks, saying they amounted to “free concessions” to Israel.
Still, “there is optimism”, said Al Jazeera’s Rapalo.
“The cessation of hostilities agreement is due to expire on Sunday, so there is an expectation that this will be front and centre in discussions,” he said.
“Of course, the immediate objective is to prevent the situation along the border from escalating into a broader regional conflict.”
The United Nations earlier on Thursday expressed hope for the new round of direct negotiations.
“We hope that the latest round of direct talks between Lebanon and Israel in Washington, planned for today and tomorrow, will contribute to an effective and durable ceasefire and open a path towards lasting peace,” deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told the reporters.
Haq said the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continues to observe “significant” aerial and military activity across its area of operations, including multiple air strikes on Wednesday by Israel.
“We reiterate our call on all the parties to exercise maximum restraint, ensure the protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel and fully respect their obligations under international humanitarian law,” he added.
In Lebanon, people also hope for an end to violence as the diplomatic efforts continue.
“I think people here in southern Lebanon are cautiously optimistic about the possible results from these meetings,” said Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hitto, reporting from Tyre, Lebanon.
“Everyone understands that Lebanon is not ready for normalisation, legally speaking. There is a part of the constitution that prevents Lebanon from actually having normalisation with Israel. People realise this might be a huge obstacle to move forward and find a way to live in peace with Israel.”
Still, the Lebanese population wants the violence to stop, said Hitto.
“It’s been more than two months of ongoing Israeli strikes, artillery strikes, air strikes, drone strikes, coordinated, systematic demolitions of entire towns and villages,” he said.
The Israeli army continues daily strikes in Lebanon despite a ceasefire that was announced on April 17 and later extended until May 17.
Three people were killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday, Lebanese media reported.
Since March 2, Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed at least 2,896 people, injured over 8,824, and displaced more than 1.6 million, about one-fifth of the country’s population, according to Lebanese officials. In that time, at least 200 children in Lebanon have been killed in Israeli attacks, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Thursday.
Those words showed maturity but also the teenager’s high standards.
Corteen-Coleman perched herself next to England’s coaches on the balcony for much of her side’s chase. She believed her work for the day was done, but her most consequential moment was still to come.
Ten runs were still needed when she emerged as the last batter to join Dean.
Crucially, she helped Dean run twos and, with solid defence, bettered her previous high score of one not out in The Hundred to finish unbeaten on three and sealed the win.
“I am glad I looked calm because I definitely wasn’t,” she said.
“The main point for me was to keep it really simple.”
Corteen-Coleman did not, of course, complete the win alone.
Central was the role of Dean, who admitted to exposing her team-mate more than she intended by taking singles early in the over, but otherwise played the situation well.
Much has been made of Dean’s ability to hold her mettle in chases. There has been some success but failure too – notably in the Mankad ODI at Lord’s in 2022 and the second ODI of the Women’s Ashes last year.
This time, standing in as England captain for the first time, Dean dragged her side over the line.
If England’s training camp with the army last week was supposed to develop leaders, this was Dean’s Passing-Out Parade.
“I have worked on having that calmness and being ready in any situation but that mainly came from Deano,” added Corteen-Coleman.
“If I came out and she was panicking I would have been under the pump.”
Corteen-Coleman emerged with the words of coach Charlotte Edwards in her ears. She told her to back her strengths and keep a clear mind.
That was backed up by Dean in the middle.
“She came out with good clarity,” said Dean.
“I said, ‘Yorkers have been successful for them so they will probably look to get under your bat’.
“We decided getting forward was the best option.
“Tilly is really proactive with her thinking. She has a good cricket brain.”
Rob Leon, Co-Head of Investment Banking at Rand Merchant Bank, which won Best Investment Bank in Africa, explains Africa’s opportunities to become a global investment hub.
Global Finance: What does the African deal-making landscape look like, and how do you see it evolving?
Rob Leon: Africa’s deal-making landscape is marked by cautious optimism. Despite geopolitical uncertainty and global economic headwinds, investment opportunities are expanding in key sectors, with infrastructure being central. Interest in natural resources—particularly critical minerals needed for clean energy—is also growing, and private equity and venture capitalists are becoming increasingly active. Notably, reforms in several countries are improving investor confidence. Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria dominate due to their large consumer bases, diversified economies, and reform momentum.
Over the coming years, deal activity is expected to be deeply driven by regional integration, policy reforms, and the demographic dividend. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will unlock cross-border opportunities, making pan-African mergers and acquisitions more viable.
In the short term, we expect moderate growth in deal volumes, led by the energy and digital sectors. In the medium term, AfCFTA will lower trade barriers and harmonize regulation, creating conditions for larger cross-border deals. Beyond 2030, Africa could emerge as a global investment hub if political stability and regulatory harmony are sustained.
GF: What has made RMB a top investment bank, and how critical are broader Africa markets?
Leon: Our diversified portfolio, together with a disciplined approach to balancing risk, return, and growth, have let RMB deliver consistent returns in a very competitive market. Besides that, we differentiate ourselves through a collaborative, client-centric, and entrepreneurial approach.
Broader Africa is central to our growth strategy. RMB has a deal footprint in 35 countries as well as an international presence. That network matters because many of our clients are regional or internationally connected businesses that need capital, risk management, and advisory solutions across jurisdictions.
GF: How can Africa deepen its underdeveloped corporate debt market?
Leon: Africa’s corporate debt markets have developed meaningfully over time, but their depth and breadth still vary considerably across countries, sectors, and currencies. In many markets, the issue is not a lack of demand for capital. It is that the available pools of capital, the range of issuers, and the array of funding instruments are not yet broad or deep enough to meet the demand. A key consideration is currency. Many corporates’ revenues are denominated in local currency, yet a meaningful share of available funding is hard currency-based.
On the positive side, domestic institutional capital is growing and should support deeper and more diversified debt markets over time. This is encouraging, with borrowers taking a strategic approach to funding, including engagement from a broader set of investors and growing demand for solutions that go beyond traditional bilateral lending.
GF: Equity-market activity remains subdued. What can Africa do to change this?
Leon: While 2025 was a stellar year for many African equity markets, we still see muted capital raising activity, with companies preferring debt financing or private equity. To change this, Africa needs a mix of structural reforms, market deepening, and investor confidence-building measures. Currently, many markets are underutilized. Exchanges remain small, with limited trading volumes; listing is burdensome; and volatility and perception often deter long-term investors. That said, a few stock exchanges are highly sophisticated, with deep liquidity, diverse listings, and advanced infrastructure.
To revitalize equity capital raising, Africa must strengthen market infrastructure by modernizing its trading platforms and settlement systems and encourage cross-listings and regional exchange integration. There is also a need for policy and regulatory reforms and strengthening of corporate governance standards. Africa should also leverage AfCFTA to create pan-African capital markets and pool liquidity across exchanges to attract larger listings.
GF: How large a role is sustainable finance assuming in Africa? Leon: Sustainable finance is a rapidly growing market that creates access to large reservoirs of capital and a diverse set of investors. RMB is at the forefront of advancing this market, having facilitated $12 billion in sustainable and transition finance. This includes blended finance structures to mobilize capital for early-stage projects and innovative technology. The bank has committed to facilitate $26.8 billion in sustainable and transition finance by 2030.