Lebanon has entered face-to-face talks with Israel in Washington, pressing for an immediate ceasefire as fighting continues despite a truce declared last month by the United States. A senior Lebanese official said Beirut would demand that Israel implement a full halt to hostilities, as deadly strikes and cross-border attacks persist ahead of the truce’s expiration on Sunday.

The renewed diplomacy comes amid escalating violence in southern Lebanon, where Israeli strikes reportedly killed 22 people on Wednesday, including eight children. Israel said it responded to attacks by Hezbollah, including an explosive drone that injured civilians in northern Israel. Both sides have continued military operations even as negotiations proceed.

Israel has stated that the talks aim to secure Hezbollah’s disarmament and advance a broader peace agreement. Lebanon’s leadership remains divided over Hezbollah’s role, but President Joseph Aoun has expanded the country’s delegation for the latest round of discussions. The talks mark the highest-level contact between the two countries in decades and are unfolding alongside wider diplomatic efforts tied to tensions involving Iran.

The conflict has displaced about 1.2 million people in Lebanon and killed nearly 2,900 there since early March, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Israel reports 17 soldiers and two civilians killed. Lebanese officials say their priorities in negotiations include reinforcing the ceasefire, securing a timetable for Israeli withdrawal, and arranging the release of Lebanese prisoners held by Israel.