The United States announced Friday that Lebanon and Israel concluded two days of “highly productive” talks in Washington, agreeing to extend the April 17 ceasefire by 45 days as negotiations continue amid ongoing cross-border tensions.
In a statement, the State Department said the talks, held on May 14 and 15, focused on advancing security and political understandings between the two countries. Washington said the ceasefire extension would allow time for further diplomatic progress, adding that a new round of political negotiations will take place at the State Department on June 2 and 3, while a parallel security track involving military delegations from both countries is scheduled at the Pentagon on May 29.
“We hope these discussions will advance lasting peace between the two countries, full recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and establishing genuine security along their shared border,” the State Department said.
The negotiations come as the latest ceasefire agreement, which formally remains in effect through Sunday, faces mounting strain.
On Friday, the Israeli military said it was carrying out strikes against Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon after issuing evacuation warnings to residents in several southern villages. The Israeli army also said a Hezbollah drone had crashed inside Israeli territory on Thursday, injuring several civilians.
The latest direct talks mark the third round of U.S.-mediated negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. Lebanese and Israeli representatives last met at the White House on April 23, when U.S. President Donald Trump announced a three-week extension of the ceasefire and expressed optimism about reaching a broader agreement between the two countries.
At the time, Trump predicted he would host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Washington for a historic summit during the ceasefire extension period. However, the meeting never materialized after Aoun insisted that any such summit required a prior security agreement and an end to Israeli attacks in Lebanon.
The current negotiations are taking place against the backdrop of increasing U.S. pressure on Beirut to move forward with plans to disarm Hezbollah and extend full state authority across Lebanese territory.
Lebanon has repeatedly demanded a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanese territory and says extending state sovereignty nationwide is tied to commitments made last year regarding Hezbollah’s disarmament.
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