Middle East
Trump wants to talk to Hezbollah. Will they pick up the phone?
Sources inside the group are being coy about negotiating directly, while Israel and Iran have their own reasons to keep the calls from getting through
August 13, 2026
Sources inside the group are being coy about negotiating directly, while Israel and Iran have their own reasons to keep the calls from getting through
Officials in Beirut know that any agreement with Israel would be dead on arrival at home
News from White House suggests Trump imposing limits on partner Netanyahu and that US did not provide missile defense in latest exchange of fire
This also drives a further wedge between Netanyahu and Trump, who reportedly doesn't want Tel Aviv to retaliate
Trump's Iran deal was not his idea and worse, it's getting in the way of the Israeli leader's political survival. Lebanon, unfortunately, will pay the price.
Tel Aviv has controlled the talks from the beginning and as a result Hezbollah is stronger. Time for Washington to learn from history and take the reins.
