Israel and Lebanon have agreed to renew their fragile ceasefire, with the deal contingent on a complete halt to attacks by the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.
The agreement, announced by the US State Department, also includes the creation of several “pilot” security zones inside Lebanon. In these zones, the Lebanese Armed Forces would take full control of the territory, excluding all non-state actors such as Hezbollah. Additionally, all Hezbollah operatives must evacuate the area Israel controls in southern Lebanon, from the Litani River down to the border.
The understanding was reached following the fourth round of US-brokered talks in Washington. Both countries emphasised their rejection of any attempts by state or non-state actors to hold Lebanon’s future hostage. Further negotiations between the two sides are scheduled for 22 June, with the aim of achieving a more comprehensive agreement. The US has indicated it will assist in establishing the pilot security zones.
This latest development comes after a partial ceasefire was agreed on Monday, which was quickly tested by violence on both sides. On Wednesday, Israeli strikes killed at least nine people in southern Lebanon, including two paramedics whose ambulance was hit and several Lebanese soldiers. In response, Hezbollah fired rockets and projectiles into northern Israel. Hezbollah has not yet issued an official comment on the new agreement, though a senior official had earlier stated that the group does not recognise the US-brokered talks and will not be bound by their decisions.
The conflict escalated in early March 2026 when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader. Israel responded with a large-scale air campaign and ground invasion in southern Lebanon. According to Lebanese authorities, more than 3,500 people have been killed in Lebanon since the war began, while Israel reports 26 soldiers and four civilians killed on its side. The United States, under President Donald Trump, has been actively mediating to prevent further escalation and separate these talks from broader US-Iran negotiations.
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