Israel and Lebanon agree to renew ceasefire if Hezbollah cuts off attacks

Israel and Lebanon Agree to Renew Ceasefire, With Hezbollah to Halt Attacks

The Israeli and Lebanese governments have agreed to renew a ceasefire, both sides said Wednesday, after weeks of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The U.S.-brokered deal is contingent on Hezbollah ending attacks and withdrawing from a section of southern Lebanon, according to a joint statement from the Israeli, Lebanese and American governments. Israel is not in direct conflict with Lebanon’s armed forces.

Hezbollah receives support from Iran and maintains influence in Lebanon, particularly among Shiite communities. The Lebanese government has faced ongoing challenges in asserting authority over the group or requiring it to relinquish weapons. The agreement also calls for “pilot zones” in which the Lebanese military would assume control “to the exclusion of all non-state actors.”

Wednesday’s ceasefire followed two days of talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington. The joint statement indicated that Israel and Lebanon would hold another round of discussions in about three weeks “with a view toward reaching a comprehensive agreement.” The statement added that “all countries reaffirmed that the future of the relationship between Israel and Lebanon must be decided by the two sovereign governments” and that they “rejected any attempt, by any state or non-state actor, to hold Lebanon’s future hostage.”

Hours after the announcement, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that Israeli drone strikes occurred along roads in several locations in southern Lebanon, with at least one strike wounding a couple and their daughter inside their vehicle. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated Thursday that under the agreement, Israeli troops would remain in southern Lebanon and continue operations there for the present time, and that displaced residents would not yet return to their homes. Katz also said the accord permits the military to strike Beirut if Hezbollah attacks Israeli communities.

Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire for months, with Hezbollah firing rockets toward northern Israel and Israeli forces operating in parts of southern Lebanon. A ceasefire reached in mid-April did not fully halt the exchanges. President Trump said Monday that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to reduce fighting, but the two sides traded fire the following day.

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 statements from both governments. The Lebanese government has said more than 1 million people have been displaced in a country whose population is estimated at just under 6 million.

The Lebanon fighting has affected separate diplomatic efforts involving the United States and Iran. Those efforts seek to extend a ceasefire between the two countries, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin talks on Iran’s nuclear program. The Iranian government has stated that any agreement ending hostilities with the United States and Israel must include an end to the fighting in Lebanon. Earlier this week, an Iranian news agency reported that Iran had suspended indirect talks with the United States because of Israeli operations in Lebanon, although President Trump said negotiations remained ongoing.

President Trump has urged Israel and Lebanon to reach an agreement. He announced Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to cancel a planned major raid on Beirut and to stop firing on Hezbollah, while Hezbollah agreed to stop firing on Israel. Netanyahu later posted on social media that he told President Trump the Israeli military would strike targets in Beirut “if Hezbollah does not cease attacking our cities and citizens.”

Axios reported that the telephone conversation was contentious, with President Trump reportedly describing Netanyahu as “f***ing crazy” and stating that “everybody hates Israel because of this.” When asked about the report on the New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast, President Trump said he was “a little bit perturbed” by the fighting in Lebanon and told Netanyahu, “we gotta stop this.”

The renewed ceasefire remains subject to Hezbollah’s compliance with the withdrawal conditions outlined in the joint statement. Further talks scheduled in three weeks are intended to address longer-term arrangements between Israel and Lebanon.