- The ceasefire extension follows US-brokered talks.
- Lebanon attends talks despite Hezbollah’s objections.
- Israel seeks the disarmament of Hezbollah.
WASHINGTON: Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 45-day extension of a ceasefire that has calmed the conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, as two days of talks facilitated by Washington concluded on Friday with an agreement to hold more meetings in the coming weeks.
“The April 16 cessation of hostilities will be extended by 45 days to allow for further progress,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said on X, adding that talks aimed at resolving decades of conflict between the two countries were “highly productive.” The ceasefire was set to expire on Sunday.
The Lebanese and Israeli delegations issued positive statements about the talks, their third meeting since Israel stepped up airstrikes against Lebanon after Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel on March 2, three days into the US-Israel war with Iran. Israel’s bombing campaign and ground invasion of southern Lebanon displaced some 1.2 million people, before US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire last month following initial talks between the two countries’ ambassadors in Washington.
Hezbollah and Israel have continued to trade blows, with hostilities centered in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces are occupying a self-proclaimed security zone.
Lebanon wants hostilities to end
US-led mediation between Lebanon and Israel has emerged in parallel with diplomacy aimed at ending the US-Iran conflict. Iran has said ending Israel’s war in Lebanon is one of its demands for reaching a deal on the broader conflict.
Lebanon’s delegation, attending despite Hezbollah’s objections, has prioritized cessation of hostilities in the talks. Israel says Hezbollah must be disarmed as part of any broader peace deal with Lebanon.
The Washington meetings, the highest-level contact between Lebanon and Israel in decades, have evolved to include military and security officials. Pigott said on
“We hope that these discussions will foster lasting peace between the two countries, the full recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the establishment of genuine security along their shared border,” Pigott said.
Lebanon’s delegation said in a statement that it wanted to turn the ceasefire momentum into a lasting peace agreement. “The extension of the ceasefire and the establishment of a US-facilitated security path provide critical respite for our citizens, strengthen state institutions, and advance a political path toward lasting stability,” the delegation said.
Israeli ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, said the talks were “frank and constructive.”
“There will be ups and downs, but the potential for success is great. What will be paramount during the negotiations is the safety of our citizens and our soldiers,” Leiter said in X.
