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Ceasefire extended after Washington talks
US President Donald Trump announced a three-week extension to the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon following negotiations between envoys in Washington. The original truce, set to expire on Sunday, aimed to halt over seven weeks of hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Trump hails progress, plans White House meetings
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the discussions as "very productive" and confirmed US support for Lebanon in countering Hezbollah's influence. He later told reporters in the Oval Office that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would visit the White House "in the coming weeks."
"We're collaborating with Lebanon to stabilize the country," Trump said. "Resolving this alongside our Iran strategy would be a major achievement."
Envoys praise US mediation, but tensions persist
Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad and Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter commended Trump's role in the talks. Leiter emphasized shared goals between Israel and Lebanon to eliminate Hezbollah's presence, calling it a "malign influence."
Despite the diplomatic progress, both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire. On Thursday, Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel, claiming retaliation for an Israeli breach. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported intercepting the projectiles.
Casualties and displacement mount
Lebanon's health ministry reported 2,294 deaths from Israeli strikes since the conflict escalated, including 274 women and 177 children. The figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. In Israel, two civilians and 15 soldiers have died in Hezbollah attacks, according to Israeli authorities.
UN data shows over one million Lebanese-roughly one-fifth of the population-have been displaced, primarily from southern regions where Israeli airstrikes have destroyed homes and villages.
Hezbollah's role and disarmament demands
The Shia militia and political party has rejected calls to disarm, arguing it serves as Lebanon's sole defense in a fragile state. President Aoun warned that forced disarmament could spark further violence, insisting negotiations are necessary.
Last week's Washington talks marked the first high-level direct contact between Lebanese and Israeli officials in 30 years. The conflict reignited after Israel and the US targeted Iran on February 28, killing its supreme leader. Hezbollah retaliated with rocket and drone strikes on March 2, prompting Israeli airstrikes and a ground incursion into southern Lebanon.
Ongoing challenges
Israel has occupied a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) strip of Lebanese territory since early March. While Israel claims no "serious disagreements" with Lebanon, it has urged Beirut to jointly counter Hezbollah.
"The group's weapons cannot be removed by force," Aoun stated. "Dialogue is the only path forward."
