Such a meeting would represent an unusual moment of direct contact between two militaries that normally communicate only through UNIFIL.
By Hezy Laing
A report circulating in regional and Israeli media claims that senior officers from both the Israel Defense Forces and the Lebanese Army quietly met in Florida under U.S. mediation.
While neither military has confirmed the story, several outlets — including Lebanon’s Al‑Akhbar, Al‑Jazeera Arabic, and Israeli sites such as Ynet and N12 — have repeated the claim, each citing unnamed diplomatic or security sources.
The United States, which maintains close ties with both armies, is described as the organizer of the alleged meeting.
If such a meeting did take place, it would represent an unusual moment of direct contact between two militaries that normally communicate only through UNIFIL intermediaries.
The timing is notable: tensions along the Israel–Lebanon border remain high, with daily exchanges of fire and tens of thousands of civilians displaced on both sides.
Washington has been pushing hard to prevent a broader Israel–Hezbollah war, and a discreet U.S.‑hosted meeting would fit within that diplomatic effort.
The agenda of the reported talks has not been disclosed, but the issues both sides urgently face are well known.
Preventing a full‑scale conflict would be at the top of any such discussion.
Both militaries have strong incentives to avoid miscalculation, and a direct channel — even a temporary one — could help clarify red lines and reduce the risk of unintended escalation.
Another likely topic is the future of southern Lebanon under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for the Lebanese Army to deploy south of the Litani River and restrict Hezbollah’s armed presence near the border.
The United States has been promoting a phased de‑escalation plan that includes adjustments to deployments, confidence‑building steps, and a more robust role for UNIFIL.
Cross‑border fire, civilian displacement, and humanitarian access would also be natural points of discussion, given the scale of disruption on both sides of the frontier.
The report has not been independently verified, but the idea of quiet U.S.‑mediated military contact reflects the urgency of the moment.
