Figures don't identify combatants, and list 292 women and 211 children among casualties; IDF kills senior Islamic Jihad commander; Lebanese president defends talks with Israel

The death toll in the latest fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon has surpassed 3,000.

A third round of direct talks between Israel and Lebanon kicked off in Washington Thursday, days before the expiration of a truce that reduced but did not stop the fighting between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Lebanese officials are hoping that the two-day negotiations will yield a new…