The first day of Israeli-Lebanese talks in Rome concluded Tuesday, with negotiations scheduled to resume Wednesday morning as both sides continued discussions on a possible long-term arrangement along the northern border.

According to Lebanese officials, Tuesday’s meetings were split into two tracks. One focused on land border demarcation, with Lebanon presenting its position on disputed areas, while the second addressed military issues, including a mechanism to verify any future Israeli withdrawal and the role of a third party in overseeing implementation.

Lebanon placed renewing the ceasefire, finalizing the land border, and establishing a verification mechanism at the top of its agenda. Reports also indicated that, for the first time, the Israeli delegation did not insist that Hezbollah be disarmed before border negotiations could proceed, with discussions instead centering on restoring the 1923 internationally recognized border. Lebanon also proposed expanding pilot withdrawal zones to additional southern towns.

i24NEWS has learned that Syria will not participate in the border demarcation talks, despite asserting claims to some of the disputed territory between Israel and Lebanon.

The Lebanese delegation is headed by former Ambassador Simon Karam, while Israel’s delegation is led by Ambassador Yechiel Leiter. Fifteen U.S. officials from the State Department, National Security Council, and Pentagon are also participating in the negotiations.

The talks come as Israeli military operations continue in southern Lebanon. Last week, the IDF destroyed a major Hezbollah tunnel network beneath Beaufort Castle using approximately 700 tons of explosives. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected the negotiations, claiming they would bring Lebanon “nothing but shame, humiliation and successive compromises.”

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