A senior Lebanese official familiar with the negotiations in Washington said Thursday Lebanon wants a complete ceasefire first and then would negotiate withdrawal of Israeli forces. The issue of Hezbollah’s weapons would be dealt with politically in Lebanon after that, he said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to speak frankly about the talks.

There are no indications of any serious breakthrough in the negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, a source told Al-Arabiya following around four hours of Lebanese-Israeli talks in Washington.

"The atmosphere of the third round of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations does not call for optimism," the source said.

The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will be extended for a period that is still unknown until the moment, Lebanese sources told Sky News Arabia as the third round of Lebanese-Israeli talks kicked off in Washington.

"Israel is insisting on continuing its operations in south Lebanon and Washington has informed Lebanon that it is pressing to prevent strikes on Beirut and its southern suburbs," the sources said.

President Joseph Aoun is proposing an "Armistice Agreement+" in the negotiations with Israel, whose third round begins Thursday, a media report said.

An official source told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that Aoun views the negotiations as "limited to security procedures and arrangements, ultimately leading to a formula similar to the 1949 Armistice Agreement, albeit in a more developed form, described by some close to him as "Armistice Agreement+".

Israel and Lebanon opened a new round of peace talks in Washington on Thursday as their latest ceasefire -- considered to still be in place despite hundreds of deaths in Israeli strikes -- nears its end.

The two sides started discussions just after 9 am (1300 GMT) at the State Department and will meet again on Friday.

Preliminary contacts and meetings intensified behind the scenes a few hours before the third round of Lebanese-Israeli talks in Washington, amid "clear U.S. pressure to push both sides toward tangible results," MTV reported on Thursday afternoon.

Israeli strikes targeted Thursday Sinay, Teffahta, Tebna, Froun, Siddiqine, Haddatha, Zrarieh, Brayke', Kfarmelki, Qsaybeh, Jarjou', Kfarseer, Kafra, Arnoun-Shqif, al-Mansouri, Srifa and other villages and towns in south Lebanon, despite a ceasefire and direct Lebanese-Israeli talks scheduled for Thursday and Friday in Washington.

In the east of the country, strikes hit Yohmor, Sohmor, Lebbaya, and Ein el-Tineh.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea accused Hezbollah on Thursday of "bringing back" the Israeli occupation of South Lebanon. He said that the group's leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, can take whatever stance he likes but cannot "obstruct" the direct negotiations with Israel.

Geagea added that Speaker Nabih Berri is similarly free to take any stance he wants, provided he does not cause obstruction. "Berri heads neither the executive power in Lebanon nor the deputies. When the results of the negotiations are sent to Parliament, he can offer his opinion as the head of a parliamentary bloc," Geagea said.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has linked the success of the direct talks with Israel — which begin this Thursday in Washington — to the implementation of a "genuine" ceasefire.

"If a genuine ceasefire is not achieved, it means all is lost," Berri told ad-Diyar in remarks published Thursday.

Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Ammar reiterated Thursday his group's rejection of the direct talks, as Lebanon and Israel are to hold new peace talks in Washington starting Thursday.

Ammar said direct talks amount to "free concessions" to Israel.