Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar denied reports that Israel and Lebanon intend to hold direct talks in the coming days, speaking to foreign media at the site where an Iranian missile landed in the northern Bedouin town of Zarzir.

Asked by a Reuters correspondent whether Sa'ar could confirm reports that Beirut and Jerusalem are expected to discuss an agreement on countering Hezbollah and possibly broader cooperation, Sa'ar replied: "No."

"If the Lebanese government and Lebanese army want to change something, they need to do something to stop the attacks being carried out by Hezbollah from Lebanese territory. So far, they have taken no meaningful action to stop [Hezbollah's attacks]," Sa'ar said.

According to the Israeli FM, since the US-brokered ceasefire in November 2024, "Lebanon has not actually done what it was supposed to do to eliminate Hezbollah."

"And now we see the results. And we also expect them to take serious steps on their part to stop the shelling of Israel. This is the practical thing to do right now. We are all in favor of peace and normalization in the future, including with Lebanon. I think the problem in Lebanon is Hezbollah. We have no serious disagreements with the Lebanese state. We have a few minor border disputes that can be resolved fairly easily, but the problem is Hezbollah," Sa'ar said.

Earlier, Haaretz reported, citing sources, that Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold direct talks in the coming days — the first since the start of the war in Iran. According to the Israeli outlet, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner will participate, with talks possibly taking place in Paris or Cyprus, and the Israeli delegation to be led by Netanyahu confidant Ron Dermer.