WASHINGTON: Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend their ceasefire by 45 days, the United States State Department confirmed on Friday.
“The April 16 cessation of hostilities will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress,” State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott said.
The temporary truce comes amid ongoing regional tensions and is aimed at preventing renewed hostilities along the border, providing a critical window for diplomacy and stability efforts in the region.
The US State Department described the Israel-Lebanon talks, held in Washington on Thursday and Friday, as “highly productive,” noting that both countries will resume negotiations on June 2 and 3.
This week’s discussions marked the third meeting between the two sides since Israel stepped up airstrikes on Lebanon following Hezbollah’s missile attacks on March 2, just three days into the US-Israeli war on Iran.
The latest negotiations follow talks held at the White House on April 23, when US President Donald Trump announced a three-week extension of the ceasefire and expressed optimism about a potential historic breakthrough between the longtime adversaries.
Israel conducts strikes in southern Lebanon, 37 wounded
Meanwhile, Israel carried out new airstrikes overnight in southern Lebanon, wounding at least 37 people.
The United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza, condemned the “unacceptable” toll from the ongoing attacks, adding that “diplomatic efforts now offer a critical opportunity to stop the violence.”
A truce between Israel and Hezbollah has been in place since 17 April, but it has not halted hostilities. Hundreds of people have been killed in strikes since then, with both sides accusing the other of violations.
“The IDF has begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure sites in the area of Tyre in southern Lebanon,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
Lebanon’s health ministry confirmed that the strikes in the Tyre district wounded at least 37 people, including six hospital staff, nine women, and four children.
War displaces more than one million people
Save the Children said more than one million people had been displaced by the war and repeated evacuation orders.
The organisation said around 125,000 people were currently living in collective shelters, including nearly 44,800 children, accounting for about 36 percent of shelter residents.
According to the charity, the number of families seeking refuge in temporary shelters has increased by five percent since the ceasefire began, partly because some families returned to homes that had been destroyed or agricultural land that had been damaged.
The organisation warned that conditions in the shelters remained severe because of overcrowding and inadequate sanitation and hygiene facilities.
It said the poor conditions had increased the risk of disease outbreaks, including scabies, while children were also facing worsening mental health conditions and disruptions to schooling.
The organisation urged the international community to take urgent action to secure a permanent ceasefire, ensure sustainable funding for child protection programmes and support the safe return of displaced families.
