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Pentagon hosts first-ever Israeli–Lebanese military talks aimed at curbing Hezbollah
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Israeli and Lebanese military delegations opened Pentagon-mediated talks Friday morning in Washington, launching a new U.S.-brokered security coordination track aimed at preventing renewed escalation along the Israel–Lebanon border and shoring up a fragile ceasefire reached in mid-April.
A State Department official told Fox News Digital that, «As we have continuously stated, the only path to lasting peace is through direct negotiations between the two sovereign governments.»
The discussions mark a shift from diplomatic negotiations into direct military coordination, with talks expected to focus on ceasefire enforcement, border stability, Israeli withdrawal from parts of southern Lebanon and the role of the Lebanese Armed Forces in containing Hezbollah.
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Michael Needham, counselor for the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Lebanese Ambassador to the U.S. Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter pose for a photo before a meeting at the State Department in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 2026. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo)
The talks come weeks after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire first reached during the broader regional conflict tied to the U.S.–Iran war. While large-scale fighting has eased, Israeli forces continue operating inside parts of southern Lebanon and Hezbollah maintains drone and rocket capabilities, keeping tensions high along the border.
The ceasefire was extended on May 15 for another 45 days, creating pressure on both sides to show progress before the current arrangement expires.
But analysts say the central question overshadowing the talks is whether Lebanon can realistically curb Hezbollah’s military power without risking internal collapse.
«This will be the first meeting between representatives of the militaries since the start of the negotiation process between Lebanon and Israel,» Ahmed Sharawi, a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank, told Fox News Digital.
Representing Lebanon in the talks is Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal, who previously served as commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces in southern Lebanon, an area where Hezbollah maintains a strong presence. Hezbollah is the Iran-backed Lebanese terrorist organization designated by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization.
«What we should expect is talks regarding de-confliction and what the expectations are for the LAF in terms of the broader disarmament plan against Hezbollah’s weapons,» he said.
Sharawi said the chances of a broader breakthrough remain limited so long as Hezbollah remains heavily armed and politically entrenched inside Lebanon.
«The biggest obstacle here is that the Lebanese state is yet to present a feasible plan to disarm Hezbollah,» he said.
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But analysts say the central question overshadowing the talks is whether Lebanon can realistically curb Hezbollah’s military power without risking internal collapse. (Ibrahim AMRO / AFP via Getty Images)
He pointed to the terms of the November 2024 ceasefire agreement, which placed responsibility for disarming Hezbollah on the Lebanese state.
«We are yet to see the confiscation of one single bullet from Hezbollah,» Sharawi said.
He also warned that Hezbollah’s deep support among Lebanon’s Shiite population complicates any attempt to move toward normalization with Israel.
«There’s a fear of a civil war,» he said. «That also accounts for the Lebanese state’s unwillingness to disarm Hezbollah.»
The talks opened as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled Israel intends to maintain military pressure on Hezbollah despite the negotiations.
Sharawi argued the Trump administration nevertheless appears determined to push the process forward as part of a broader effort to weaken Iranian influence in the region.
«The reason behind these meetings is that President Trump is really trying to push for a peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon,» he said. «Peace between these two countries could really undermine Hezbollah and its influence in Lebanon.»
WALTZ SAYS TRUMP HAS CREATED ‘BEST CHANCE IN OUR LIFETIME’ TO BREAK HEZBOLLAH’S GRIP ON LEBANON
Churches in the southern Lebanese town of Rmeish remained standing throughout the conflict, as residents say the community resisted Hezbollah attempts to launch rockets from the area. (Jusoor News)
Israeli analysts similarly described the talks less as a breakthrough and more as a strategic signal aimed at Hezbollah.
«The war between us and Hezbollah is continuing,» Yossi Kuperwasser, senior project manager at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and former head of the Research Division of Israeli Military Intelligence, told Fox News Digital.
«There is no doubt the Lebanese government does not have a monopoly on the use of force in Lebanon,» he said.
‘OVERBLOWN’ REPORTS ON ISRAEL–LEBANON NORMALIZATION RISK HINDERING BORDER TALKS BEFORE THEY BEGIN: OFFICIAL
IDF troops discovered a Hezbollah weapons cache near a UNIFIL post in southern Lebanon in 2024. (IDF Spokesman’s Unit)
Kuperwasser said expectations for an immediate diplomatic breakthrough should remain low, but argued the talks themselves send an important political message.
«The purpose of these talks is first and foremost to send a message to Hezbollah and also to the Americans,» he said. «Both sides are prepared to sit together against Hezbollah and signal that they are moving, even if slowly, toward normalization between Israel and Lebanon.»
He argued Hezbollah has been weakened politically and militarily by the ongoing conflict and by growing frustration among Lebanese civilians displaced by the fighting.
«For years Hezbollah portrayed itself as the defender of Lebanon,» Kuperwasser said. «Now many Lebanese see Hezbollah as responsible for the suffering Lebanon is experiencing.»
Kuperwasser added that while Israel supports strengthening the Lebanese army, Beirut fears direct confrontation with Hezbollah could ignite another civil war.
«The Lebanese government fears military action against Hezbollah would lead to civil war,» he said. «That fear shapes everything.»
The talks also come amid mounting domestic pressure inside Israel, where critics of Netanyahu have accused the government of pursuing containment rather than decisive military victory against Hezbollah.
Speaking Friday during a visit to Israel’s northern front, Netanyahu said Israeli forces had crossed the Litani River and were operating across multiple parts of Lebanon.
«We are operating in Beirut, in the Bekaa Valley, across the entire front and striking Hezbollah hard,» Netanyahu said.
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A woman holds her dog as she walks past burned cars a day after an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon, on April 9, 2026. (Emilio Morenatti/AP)
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s leadership is attempting to balance growing American pressure with fears of internal instability and renewed sectarian conflict.
Neither the Israeli Embassy in Washington nor the Lebanese Embassy in Washington immediately responded to requests for comment. The Pentagon did not have anything to add when asked to comment.
benjamin netanyahu, defense, lebanon, pentagon, israel
El Gobierno de Panamá aseguró que el país dejó atrás el desempleo de dos dígitos y que la recuperación del mercado laboral comienza a reflejarse en la economía de los hogares.
La ministra de Trabajo y Desarrollo Laboral, Jackeline Muñoz, afirmó que las cifras preliminares ubican la tasa de desempleo en alrededor de 9.1%, a la espera de la validación oficial del Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censo (INEC).
Como respaldo a esa afirmación, el Ministerio de Trabajo reportó que entre enero y junio de 2026 se firmaron 174,383 contratos de trabajo, un crecimiento de 22.5% frente a los 142,391 registrados durante el mismo período del año anterior.
Sin embargo, la recuperación todavía no alcanza los niveles observados antes de la pandemia, ya que en el primer semestre de 2019 el país contabilizó 202,108 contrataciones, unas 27,700 más que las alcanzadas este año.
El incremento de las contrataciones estuvo impulsado principalmente por empleos de carácter temporal. Las estadísticas del Mitradel muestran que los contratos definidos, es decir, aquellos con una duración previamente establecida, concentraron 94.922 registros, equivalentes a más de la mitad de todas las contrataciones realizadas durante el semestre y un aumento de 23,3% respecto al año anterior.
A ellos se sumaron 38,394 contratos por obra determinada, modalidad que registró el mayor crecimiento porcentual al aumentar 33.1%, favorecida por la recuperación gradual del sector construcción.
En contraste, los contratos indefinidos, que ofrecen una mayor estabilidad laboral, ascendieron a 41,067, con un incremento de 12.4%, lo que evidencia que el mercado todavía genera una proporción importante de empleos de corta duración.
Muñoz sostuvo que los resultados responden a la reactivación económica y a la ejecución de proyectos públicos y privados que comienzan a traducirse en oportunidades de empleo.
La ministra recordó que durante 2025 se generaron alrededor de 63.000 nuevos puestos de trabajo y aseguró que la meta anunciada por el presidente José Raúl Mulino de crear 80,000 nuevos empleos es alcanzable.
Añadió que los sectores de contabilidad, logística, administración, comercio y automóviles encabezan actualmente la demanda de trabajadores, mientras que la construcción continuará siendo uno de los principales motores de contratación gracias al desarrollo de obras de infraestructura contempladas por el Gobierno.
También destacó que 936 jóvenes consiguieron una plaza laboral mediante el programa Mi Primer Empleo durante el primer semestre, mientras que 636 participantes ya cuentan con una vacante garantizada dentro de Mi Primer Empleo Agro.
Las cifras también reflejan importantes diferencias por sexo y región. Del total de contratos firmados durante el primer semestre, 117.898 correspondieron a hombres y 56.485 a mujeres, mientras que la sede central del Mitradel, que comprende principalmente la ciudad de Panamá, concentró 94,804 contrataciones.
Entre las provincias sobresalieron Panamá Oeste, con 13.345 contratos; Chiriquí, con 11.800; y Colón, con 9.130. El mejor desempeño mensual se registró en junio, cuando se firmaron 32.784 nuevos contratos, un aumento cercano al 39% frente al mismo mes del año anterior, lo que confirma la aceleración observada durante la primera mitad del año.
Pese a estos resultados, el mercado laboral panameño continúa enfrentando desafíos estructurales. La última Encuesta de Mercado Laboral del INEC, correspondiente a septiembre de 2025, situó la tasa de desempleo en 10.4%, equivalente a 227,302 personas sin trabajo, mientras que la informalidad alcanzó 47.1%, es decir, cerca de 785,000 personas laboraban sin contrato formal ni cobertura de seguridad social.
Aunque el Gobierno sostiene que el empleo formal mantiene una trayectoria de recuperación, el reto ahora será consolidar ese crecimiento mediante puestos de trabajo permanentes y recuperar el volumen de contrataciones que el país registraba antes de la pandemia, cuando el mercado laboral mostraba un mayor dinamismo y estabilidad.
contrato,laboral,acuerdo,negocios,firma,apretón de manos,empleo,oficina,carrera,profesional
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Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., took to the Senate floor Wednesday to call out Neville Roy Singham, saying the communist tech tycoon’s vast nonprofit network is helping China wage «political warfare» against the U.S.
Singham, a 72-year-old American who sold his tech company for $785 million in 2017 and now lives in Shanghai, has funneled $278 million into the broad network of nonprofits since 2017, according to a Fox News Digital investigation. These groups regularly organize and participate in anti-ICE, anti-Israel and pro-Iran demonstrations.
«From his Shanghai office, which he shares with a CCP propaganda outlet whose avowed mission is to ‘tell China’s story well,’ Singham began funding a complex network of left-wing NGOs and nonprofits that advance the interests of the Chinese Communist Party,» Banks said.
SEE IT: GOP SENATOR FLIPS SCRIPT ON AGITATORS TIED TO PRO-CCP, SINGHAM NETWORK
Jodie Evans and Neville Roy Singham are pictured together. (Getty Images)
«Code Pink, that radical organization that chases me and other senators throughout the halls of Congress, used to, on occasion, condemn CCP human rights abuses,» he added. «After Singham started lavishly funding the group—and married its co-founder—Code Pink stopped criticizing the Chinese government and started defending it.»
Code Pink, which was co-founded by Singham’s wife, Jodie Evans, regularly confronts lawmakers on Capitol Hill, and publicly states that «China is Not Our Enemy.» Evans and Singham have not responded to Fox News Digital’s repeated requests for comment.
Fox News Digital obtained footage of Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., being targeted by Code Pink on Wednesday over the conflict in Iran. Scott pushed back, questioning whether the group was bothered by the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
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The Code Pink agitators did not respond to Scott’s question.
Banks’ floor speech also addressed Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s call to combat the far-left political terrorism that has taken root across the globe and in the U.S.
Rubio spoke to more than 60 countries at a summit in Washington, D.C., earlier this month, saying that networks are coordinating across multiple countries, providing training instructions and using encrypted communication to foment unrest. He said that international cooperation is critical to disrupting the financing of dangerous organizations, and that some are working with hostile foreign states.
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«For far too long, however, our counterterrorism doctrine has had a blind spot – a blind spot when it comes to extremist violence from the political left,» Rubio said. «Even today, the very idea that far-left terrorism could be a serious threat is treated as a right-wing fever dream, or worse, as a dangerous fascist conspiracy.»
Singham currently faces a grand jury investigation in the Southern District of New York, a probe which was authorized by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. The grand jury investigation focuses on Singham’s finances, and seeks to uncover any financial crimes that have taken place as he funds his pro-CCP network of nonprofits. Singham has not been charged to date.
Earlier this year, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held a meeting in New York with Goldman Sachs Chairman and CEO David Solomon, where he urged the firm to cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigation into Singham’s financial network, according to sources familiar with the discussion.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)
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One source familiar with the meeting told Fox News Digital the exchange was amicable rather than adversarial, adding that Solomon signaled Goldman Sachs was prepared to cooperate with the Justice Department’s probe.
«All distributions from Mr. Singham’s donor-advised fund were made to legally recognized nonprofit organizations, as determined by the IRS,» a Goldman Sachs spokesperson told Fox News Digital. «No distributions have been made from the account since August 2023, and it was closed in early 2024.»
scott bessent, politics, fbi, senate, china, capitol protests
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