Israel and Lebanon to hold rare direct talks – and US-Iran negotiations 'suspended'

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, Israel and Lebanon are set to hold rare direct talks in Washington, even as attacks are carried out on cities including Beirut. Israel says strikes against Hezbollah will continue, while the Iran-backed group has rejected negotiations without a halt to the attacks. Iran has reportedly "suspended" talks with the US until Israel stops its attacks on Lebanon, as tensions persist over whether the country is included in the two-week ceasefire. Meanwhile, Kuwait says "vital facilities" were hit by Iran, while the UAE reported no attacks for the first time since the war began. We also look at the economic effects of the crisis, with Saudi oil production capacity reduced and Egypt adjusting domestic policy as fuel prices ease. In Dubai, new support measures are being introduced to help businesses manage the impact of the regional conflict, including financial relief and initiatives to boost retail activity. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.