Israel and Lebanon held rare, U.S.-mediated talks on Wednesday in the border town of Naqoura, a meeting that American officials hope will ease tensions at a time when Washington believes a renewed Israeli war in Lebanon is unlikely in the near term.

Despite escalating rhetoric from some Israeli political and military figures, a senior U.S. official told Axios that the Trump administration does not expect Israel to resume large-scale military operations against Hezbollah “in the coming weeks.” The official noted that the recent assassination of Hezbollah’s top military commander has given Israel additional political space, delaying any immediate push for a major campaign.

The ceasefire oversight body's meeting in Naqoura on Wednesday marked the first direct and openly acknowledged engagement between Israeli and Lebanese diplomats since 1993. It came after nine months of American efforts to bring both sides to the table amid renewed friction along their shared border.

Washington views the talks as a tool to prevent further escalation and reduce the risk of triggering another war. U.S. and Israeli officials say Israel has warned that Lebanon is not doing enough to enforce its own decision to disarm Hezbollah and that the group’s rapid rearmament could eventually force Israel to act militarily. But the U.S. assessment is that such a scenario is not imminent.

The Trump administration has sought since March to initiate direct negotiations between the two countries, though both were initially reluctant. As tensions mounted in recent weeks, U.S. diplomats intensified pressure.

According to Axios, the new U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa, persuaded Beirut to participate despite ongoing Israeli strikes, while senior U.S. diplomat Morgan Ortagus worked to secure Israeli attendance. Ortagus also met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, urging him to send a diplomat and arguing that, while Beirut could do more to confront Hezbollah, the current Lebanese government is comparatively more favorable to Israel’s interests than any in decades.

By Tuesday evening, both sides agreed to dispatch representatives.

After the routine military meeting concluded, Ortagus convened the separate diplomatic session. A source briefed on the talks said the discussion was largely introductory, though the most substantive topic was potential economic cooperation in southern Lebanon—particularly reconstruction efforts in areas damaged by past fighting.

While early proposals are modest, U.S. officials say the longer-term American vision includes creating a “Trump economic zone” along the border, an area free of Hezbollah fighters and heavy weapons. According to the source, the parties agreed to meet again before year’s end and return with concrete economic proposals to help build confidence.

“All parties agree that the primary objective remains disarming Hezbollah,” a U.S. official said, noting that the militaries of the United States, Israel and Lebanon will continue to pursue that goal through the existing ceasefire mechanism.