Israel and Lebanon agree to renew ceasefire if Hezbollah cuts off attacks
Article excerpt
Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire following weeks of escalating violence between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. The deal hinges on Hezbollah ceasing attacks, a condition that reflects broader concerns that the fighting threatened to destabilize regional negotiations involving the U.S. and Iran. The agreement marks a potential de-escalation after a period of significant military engagement that had raised fears of wider conflict.
Israel and Lebanon agreed to implement a full ceasefire, contingent on Hezbollah halting attacks and withdrawing its operatives from the area south of the Litani River in Lebanon, according to a joint statement from the U.S., Israel and Lebanon.
Why it matters: Hezbollah had already said it would agree to a full ceasefire, but it was not immediately clear whether the Shia militia would accept the terms agreed by the Israeli and Lebanese governments.
A full ceasefire in Lebanon is one of the key demands Iranian officials have made as part of their negotiations with the Trump administration on an agreement for ending the war.
Driving the news: On Monday, President Trump put the brakes on Israel's plan to launch massive strikes on Beirut in retaliation for Hezbollah's drone and missile strikes.
Trump lashed out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an expletive-laden call.
After the call, Trump announced a new partial ceasefire in Lebanon that included an Israeli commitment not to attack Beirut in return for Hezbollah stopping attacks on Israeli towns along the border.
Despite the announcement, Hezbollah has conducted several drone attacks against targets inside Israel over the past 48 hours.
Zoom in: The new agreement between Israeli and Lebanese officials was reached after two days of negotiations between the two countries at the U.S. State Department, mediated by Trump officials.
As part of this understanding, the two sides agreed to create "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon in which the Lebanese Armed Forces will take exclusive control and make sure there is no Hezbollah presence. In return, the Israel Defense Forces will withdraw from the area.
"These steps will enable progress towards a comprehensive peace and security agreement," the parties said in a joint statement.
Zoom in: "All countries reaffirmed that the future of the relationship between Israel and Lebanon must be decided by the two sovereign governments," the joint statement said.
"They rejected any attempt, by any state or non-state actor, to hold Lebanon's future hostage."
What to watch: In the joint statement, Israel and Lebanon "reaffirmed that they have no hostile intent toward one another and committed to continuing direct negotiations to build confidence, resolve all outstanding issues, and work toward a comprehensive agreement between the two countries."
The parties agreed to hold another round of negotiations over a comprehensive agreement on June 22 in Washington, D.C.
Go deeper: Trump confirms profanity-laced Netanyahu call over Lebanon
Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.