Yechiel Leiter is the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, serving as the senior American diplomatic representative in Tel Aviv. Known as a policy analyst with deep ties to Israel and a focus on U.S.-Israel strategic relations. Recently, Leiter has been central to U.S.-mediated Israel-Lebanon negotiations and has publicly addressed Iran's missile activity and Hezbollah ceasefire violations. Last updated 5 days ago
Asked about Vice President Vance's remark that Israel is the United States' "only ally," Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter said:
“I have attended dozens of meetings with the VP, and despite all sorts of popular perceptions, I ...
Asked about Vice President Vance's remark that Israel is the United States' "only ally," Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter said:
“I have attended dozens of meetings with the VP, and despite all sorts of popular perceptions, I have not detected even a hint of hostility towards Israel or towards the PM. If I were writing this speech, I might have worded some of the things a little differently. I just don't think it's true. I mean, we just received an invitation from India. ...Our relationship with the UAE has never been stronger. We have a wonderful relationship with a small Shiite country called Azerbaijan, with which we cooperate in oil exploration, along with trade, security cooperation and tourism. We just recognized the Armenian Genocide. Our relationship with Armenia today is very, very good..."
Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter: "We don't believe that Turkey should have F-35."
Leiter said Israel has "never hidden" its position but will "respect" the U.S. decision, noting Washington has a wider range of strategic considerations to weigh.
Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter described the fifth round of U.S.-brokered Lebanon talks as "a train wreck," warning the negotiations have drifted from their original direction of full peace, Iranian withdrawal from Lebanon, and Hezbollah...
Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter described the fifth round of U.S.-brokered Lebanon talks as "a train wreck," warning the negotiations have drifted from their original direction of full peace, Iranian withdrawal from Lebanon, and Hezbollah's dismantling.
He questioned whether those foundational goals still hold, pressed for guarantees that ceasefire commitments requiring Hezbollah's northward withdrawal remain intact, and demanded clarity on how funds reaching Iran under the memorandum of understanding will be prevented from flowing to Hezbollah. Leiter said Hezbollah now feels "stronger and bolder" and stated Israel will act against immediate and developing threats.
Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, leading Lebanon talks in Washington: "We remain in southern Lebanon to protect the people of Israel, like any self-respecting country would."
"Iran fired 11 ballistic missiles at Israel today. Each one of those missiles can level an entire neighborhood and kill hundreds. No self-respecting country in the world would tolerate such an att...
Yechiel Leiter, Israel Ambassador to U.S.:
"Iran fired 11 ballistic missiles at Israel today. Each one of those missiles can level an entire neighborhood and kill hundreds. No self-respecting country in the world would tolerate such an attack, and neither will Israel.
Israel is now targeting Iranian surface-to-surface missile launch sites, as well as infrastructure facilities unrelated to the energy sector.
The people of Lebanon have rejected Iran’s proxy, Hizballah, and have told Iran to get out of their country.
If Hizballah fires at Israel, its command centers in the Dahiya will be hit hard.
This has nothing to do with Iran.
Everyone has had enough of this maniacal Iranian regime."
Hezbollah fired rockets this morning at Kiryat Shmona, a northern Israeli city of more than 20,000 residents.
Only the successful interception by the IDF prevented what could have been a deadly attack on ...
Israeli Ambassador to US, Leiter:
Hezbollah fired rockets this morning at Kiryat Shmona, a northern Israeli city of more than 20,000 residents.
Only the successful interception by the IDF prevented what could have been a deadly attack on civilians, including children.
In the video, you can see the interception overhead while families, workers, and ordinary citizens are forced to abandon their daily routines and run for shelter.
This is the reality Israelis continue to live with. This is Hezbollah's idea of a ceasefire.
It should be remembered that Israel agreed to refrain from striking Hezbollah command centers in Beirut on the condition that Hezbollah would stop attacking Israeli towns and villages.
This morning's attack is yet another blatant violation of that understanding.
Israel and Lebanon will hold their second meeting Thursday in Washington. Ambassador Yechiel Leiter and the Lebanese Ambassador to the U.S. will participate. - Jerusalem Post
Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Leiter: "We discovered today that Lebanon and Israel are on the same side of the equation. We are both united in liberating Lebanon from an occupation power dominated by Iran called Hezbollah. Lebanon is under their occupation and we are suffering from their constant barrages of missiles and terror attacks trying to cross our border."
Joint Statement (Lebanon, Israel, and the United States):
The U.S. Department of State convened a trilateral meeting on April 14, 2026, with the participation of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Counselor Michael Needham, United States Amba...
Joint Statement (Lebanon, Israel, and the United States):
The U.S. Department of State convened a trilateral meeting on April 14, 2026, with the participation of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Counselor Michael Needham, United States Ambassador to Lebanon Issa, Ambassador of Israel to the United States Yechiel Leiter, the Ambassador of Lebanon to the United States Nada Hamadeh Moawad.
This meeting marked the first major high-level engagement between the governments of Israel and Lebanon since 1993. The participants held productive discussions on steps toward launching direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.
The United States congratulated the two countries on this historic milestone and expressed its support for further talks, and for the Government of Lebanon’s plans to restore the monopoly of force and to end Iran’s overbearing influence. The United States expressed its hope that talks can exceed the scope of the 2024 agreement and bring about a comprehensive peace deal. The United States expressed its support for Israel’s right to defend itself from Hizballah’s continued attacks. The United States affirmed that any agreement to cease hostilities must be reached between the two governments, brokered by the United States, and not through any separate track. The United States underscored that these negotiations have the potential to unlock significant reconstruction assistance and economic recovery for Lebanon and expand investment opportunities for both countries.
The State of Israel expressed its support for disarming all non-state terror groups and dismantle all terror infrastructure in Lebanon and expressed its commitment to working with the Government of Lebanon to achieve that goal to ensure security for the people of both countries. Israel expressed its commitment to engage in direct negotiations to resolve all outstanding issues and achieve a durable peace that will strengthen security, stability and prosperity in the region.
The State of Lebanon reaffirmed the urgent need for the full implementation of the cessation of hostilities announcement of November 2024, underscoring the principles of territorial integrity and full state sovereignty, while calling for a ceasefire and concrete measures to address and alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis that the country continues to endure as a result of the ongoing conflict.
All sides agreed to launch direct negotiations at a mutually agreed time and venue.
Israeli Ambassador Yehiel Leiter will meet with Lebanon's ambassador in Washington tomorrow.
The meeting will be held at the State Department. Michel Issa, the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, and Michael Needham, Rubio's senior adviser, will attend on the American side.
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