The Israeli and Lebanese governments have agreed to an extension of the ceasefire, both sides said on Wednesday, after weeks of deadly fighting between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon threatened broader negotiations between the US and Iran to end their conflict.
The US-brokered deal is contingent on Hezbollah halting its attacks and evacuating part of southern Lebanon, a report said joint statement published by the Israeli, Lebanese and American governments. Israel is not in direct conflict with the Lebanese armed forces.
Hezbollah is backed by Iran and has significant influence in Lebanon, particularly among the Shiite community, and the Lebanese state has long struggled to exert control over the U.S.-recognized terrorist group or force it to give up its weapons.
The agreement also calls for the establishment of “pilot zones” where the Lebanese military could take control “to the exclusion of all non-state actors.”
Wednesday’s ceasefire came after two days of talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington. The joint statement said Israel and Lebanon agreed to hold another round of talks in about three weeks “with the aim of reaching a comprehensive agreement.”
“All countries reiterated that the future of relations between Israel and Lebanon must be decided by the two sovereign governments,” the statement said. “They rejected any attempt by any state or non-state actor to take future Lebanon hostage.”
Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in a firefight for months, with Hezbollah firing rockets into northern Israel while Israeli forces fire rockets into northern Israel Take control of large parts of southern Lebanon. The two countries concluded a ceasefire Mid-April, but fighting continued. President Trump said Israel and Hezbollah agreed on Monday to limit fighting a day laterthe two sides exchanged fire.
More than 3,000 deaths have been reported in Lebanon since fighting began in early March, and dozens of Israeli deaths have been reported. according to both State governments. More than 1 million people live in Lebanon, a country whose population is estimated to be barely there under 6 millionwere displaced, the Lebanese government said.
The conflict came amid broader diplomatic efforts to end months of hostilities between the United States and Iran by extending a ceasefire between the two countries, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and starting talks on the thorny issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
The Iranian government has insisted that any deal to end the US and Israel’s war with Iran must include an end to fighting in Lebanon. Earlier this week, an Iranian news agency said the country had suspended indirect talks with the US over Israel’s operations in Lebanon, although Mr Trump said negotiations were still ongoing.
Mr. Trump has pushed Israel and Lebanon to reach an agreement. He announced On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to call off a “major raid on Beirut” and “cease firing on Hezbollah,” while Hezbollah agreed to stop firing on Israel. Netanyahu said later on social media that he told Mr. Trump that the Israeli military would attack targets in Beirut “if Hezbollah does not stop attacking our cities and citizens.”
Axios reported that the call was heated, with Mr Trump reportedly calling Netanyahu “fucking crazy” and declaring that “everyone hates Israel because of this”.
When asked about this report on the New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast, Mr. Trump responded seemed to confirm it. He told the Post’s Miranda Devine he was “a little worried” about Israel’s fighting with Lebanon and told Netanyahu, “We have to stop this.”
