Israel, Lebanon to extend ceasefire for 45 days: US State Department

Washington: Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 45-day extension of their ceasefire that took effect last month, a spokesperson for the US State Department has said.

“The April 16 cessation of hostilities will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress,” State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott said on X on Friday (local time).

Israel and Lebanon will resume political negotiations at the US State Department on June 2-3, while their military delegates are set to launch parallel security talks at the Pentagon on May 29, Piggott said.

The two countries held their third round of direct talks here on Thursday and Friday, which Piggott described as “highly productive.”

Despite the ceasefire, clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon have continued. Israeli strikes killed at least nine people and wounded dozens in southern Lebanon on Friday, reports Xinhua, citing the Lebanese National News Agency.

Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli drones, troops, military bulldozers, and a Merkava tank in several areas of southern Lebanon.

Lebanon’s Public Health Emergency Operations Center said that Israeli attacks between March 2 and May 15 killed 2,951 people and wounded 8,988 others.

During the talks, Israel was represented by its ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, and senior security officials, while Lebanon’s delegation included its ambassador to Washington, Nada Hamadeh Mouawad, and former Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Simon Karam.

According to the Israeli official, the talks are being held to disarm Hezbollah and reach an agreement to form official ties with Lebanon.

Israel wants to preserve freedom to carry out air and ground operations against Hezbollah until an agreement is reached, while Lebanon is demanding an Israeli withdrawal from its territory, a halt to Israeli strikes and an end to the destruction of villages near the border.

The current round of fighting began on March 2, as Hezbollah fired rockets towards Israel, without causing damage. Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground invasion.

–IANS