Lebanon and Israel opened direct negotiations over disputed border territory on Friday, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry confirmed, marking a historic shift in policy. Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji declared direct engagement the only realistic path to recovering occupied land and restoring Lebanese sovereignty over the contested areas.

The discussions, mediated with US involvement, focused on five positions Israeli forces still hold in southern Lebanon. The talks built on the November 2024 ceasefire that ended months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Under that arrangement, Israel was to withdraw fully from southern Lebanon, but its forces remained at several strategic positions, citing security concerns.

Rajji also called on Iran to cease interference in Lebanese affairs, a rare public rebuke that signalled the government's distancing from Hezbollah's regional patron. A US-chaired monitoring committee has overseen implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

The negotiations drew sharp domestic reaction, with Hezbollah officials condemning any normalisation with Israel and warning that the government lacked a mandate to hold such talks. President Joseph Aoun's administration framed the move as a diplomatic necessity rather than a step toward full normalisation.

The development echoed the 2022 US-brokered maritime boundary agreement between the two states, which avoided direct recognition while settling an energy dispute. Analysts at the Carnegie Middle East Center noted that land-border talks carry far greater political risk for Beirut given Hezbollah's entrenched opposition.