Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States have agreed to meet at the State Department on Tuesday to discuss conditions for a potential ceasefire, marking a rare instance of direct engagement between the two historically adversarial nations. The Lebanese presidency confirmed the development following a phone call between the two ambassadors and the US ambassador to Beirut, though Israel has stated it will not negotiate a ceasefire directly with Hezbollah. The talks come amid continued Israeli air strikes on Lebanon, with the death toll from Wednesday's large-scale bombardment rising to 357, and ongoing disputes over whether Lebanon was covered under the recently declared US-Iran ceasefire.

Based on: BBC World