**Aoun has repeatedly and explicitly ruled out direct contact with Netanyahu pending a full cessation of Israeli strikes, concrete withdrawal commitments from southern Lebanon, and progress on the US-brokered June 2026 framework agreement for Hezbollah disarmament and Lebanese army deployment.** Lower-level Israeli-Lebanese talks mediated by the US have continued through rounds in Washington and Rome, with further sessions planned for September, but Aoun has conditioned any leader-level phone call, video, or in-person meeting on prior security and territorial guarantees. Netanyahu has described the framework as a historic step while insisting Israel retain a security zone until threats are eliminated; Aoun, in August statements, reiterated preference for negotiations over war without referencing direct engagement. US pressure for a visible summit has not overcome Lebanese domestic constraints and Aoun’s stated conditions, keeping the near-term prospects for a direct talk limited despite the December 31 resolution window.