Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, mediated by the United States, over the maritime border between the two countries have made significant progress recently, but there is a catch. 

Threats by Hezbollah’s Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, however, could complicate negotiations by Israel's government. 

Senior Israeli officials have asked US mediator Amos Hochstein to expedite talks between the two countries before Hezbollah’s provocations result in widespread conflict between the parties. The Israeli security establishment hopes to complete negotiations before September, when natural gas extraction is expected to begin at the Karish gas field in the Mediterranean Sea.

Tensions in the region are intensifying. On July 2, Hezbollah flew three drones toward the Karish gas field. Their target was clearly south of the maritime border between Israel and Lebanon, in Israeli territory. The IDF reported that an air force fighter jet and a navy patrol boat shot down the unmanned aircraft, adding that a fourth drone had been shot down several days earlier. On July 18, the IDF announced that it had shot down a Hezbollah glider that penetrated Israeli airspace.