Israel, Lebanon Agree to Renew Ceasefire if Hezbollah stops attacks

Israel and Lebanon have reached a new agreement aimed at strengthening their fragile ceasefire, with plans to establish a number of pilot security zones inside Lebanon where Hezbollah operatives would not be permitted to operate, according to an announcement from the US State Department.

In a joint statement, the parties said the arrangement is dependent on a “complete cessation” of attacks by the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, along with several other conditions intended to reduce tensions and improve security along the border.

The statement also emphasized a shared commitment by the three countries to reject “any attempt, by any state or non-state actor, to hold Lebanon’s future hostage,” highlighting ongoing diplomatic efforts to support stability in the region.

The announcement was made in Washington on Wednesday following a day of violence in which Israeli strikes killed at least nine people in southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel.

Despite the new diplomatic breakthrough, Lebanese state media reported that Israeli strikes continued in southern Lebanon on Thursday, with at least one attack resulting in casualties.

Hezbollah, a Shia Muslim militia, political party and social movement, remains the most influential armed group in Lebanon. Backed by Iran, it has developed military capabilities that surpass those of the Lebanese army and has engaged in multiple conflicts with Israel over the years. The group is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel and several other countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States.

The latest agreement, reached after a fourth round of talks mediated by the United States, requires the withdrawal of all Hezbollah operatives from the area between the Israeli border and the Litani River, located about 30 kilometers (19 miles) north of the frontier. The area is currently occupied by Israeli ground forces.

Under the arrangement, the United States will assist in guiding the creation of pilot zones where the Lebanese Armed Forces will exercise exclusive authority and control, preventing the presence of non-state armed groups.

While the agreement outlines the framework for these zones, it does not include maps identifying their exact locations, nor does it provide detailed explanations of how they will function operationally.

The deal follows a partial ceasefire announced on Monday. Lebanese officials said that arrangement would see Israel refrain from carrying out strikes on the capital, Beirut, while Hezbollah would halt attacks on Israeli territory.

Representatives from Israel and Lebanon are scheduled to meet again on 22 June for further negotiations, with the goal of advancing toward a broader and more comprehensive agreement that could contribute to a more durable peace.

Lebanon became directly involved in the wider conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran on 2 March after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel following an Israeli strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader. Israel subsequently responded with an extensive air campaign across Lebanon and launched a ground operation in the country’s south.

Earlier efforts to halt the fighting, including a US-brokered ceasefire reached on 16 April, were unable to bring a lasting end to hostilities. More recently, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the Israeli military to intensify operations against Hezbollah and expand its advance into southern Lebanon following drone and rocket attacks on communities in northern Israel.

According to Lebanon’s health ministry, at least 3,516 people have been killed in the country since the conflict began. The ministry’s figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants.