Israel, Lebanon extend ceasefire by 45 days

Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend their April 16 ceasefire by 45 days, the US State Department said. Washington described the latest talks as highly productive, with negotiations set to resume on June 2 and 3.

BEIRUT: Israel and Lebanon have agreed to prolong their ceasefire by another 45 days, according to the United States State Department, which said the extension is intended to allow more time for progress in ongoing discussions.

State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott said on Friday,

“The April 16 cessation of hostilities will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress,”

confirming that the truce announced by US President Donald Trump on April 16 would remain in place beyond its previous timeline.

The State Department also said talks between Israel and Lebanon held in Washington on Thursday and Friday were

“highly productive”

. Negotiations are scheduled to continue on June 2 and June 3.

The latest meetings were the third round of talks since Israel stepped up air strikes on Lebanon after Hezbollah launched missiles at Israel on March 2. That exchange came three days into the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Israel later widened its military campaign by expanding its ground offensive into southern Lebanon last month. The conflict between Israel and Lebanon has continued alongside the wider US-Iran war, despite the ceasefire announced in April.

Although the truce has remained in effect, hostilities have not fully ended. According to the State Department account cited in the report, clashes have largely been limited to southern Lebanon since the ceasefire was declared.

Talks to resume in June

The announcement signals that diplomatic engagement between the two sides is continuing under US auspices. Washington hosted the latest round of discussions over two days and described the outcome positively, while making clear that further negotiations will be needed in early June.

The ceasefire was first declared by President Trump on April 16. Friday’s announcement means the arrangement will now continue for an additional 45 days as negotiators seek to build on the discussions already held.

The Israel-Lebanon conflict has unfolded in parallel with the broader confrontation involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Even after the April 16 ceasefire announcement, fighting has persisted, though the violence has mostly remained concentrated in Lebanon’s south.

No further details were provided by the State Department in the report on the terms of the extension or the agenda for the next round of talks. However, the US side said the purpose of the extension is to create space for additional progress in the negotiations.