U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will host on Tuesday a meeting between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors in Washington, D.C., to launch direct negotiations between the countries.

Axar.az informs, citing Axios, that the talks, which will take place amid fighting between Israel and Hezbollah and a wide-ranging Israeli ground invasion in southern Lebanon, are going to focus on the possibility of a ceasefire and on longer term disarming of Hezbollah, along with a peace deal between the countries.

Initial talks between delegations led by the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States are also expected to take place in Washington on April 14.