One week after an initial 10-day Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire took effect amid violations, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend it by three weeks. The deal followed Thursday's second round of U.S.-facilitated talks between the countries' ambassadors to Washington in the Oval Office.
Trump hosted Israel's ambassador Yechiel Leiter and Lebanon's ambassador Nada Moawad, joined by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa. "The meeting went very well! The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah," Trump wrote on Truth Social. He expressed optimism for a peace agreement this year and anticipation for hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. Ambassador Moawad thanked Trump, saying, "I think with your help, with your support, we can make Lebanon great again."
The original ceasefire from talks last week was set to expire Sunday and has reduced overall violence, though incidents persist in southern Lebanon where Israeli troops hold a buffer zone. On Wednesday, Lebanon's health ministry reported an Israeli airstrike that killed three people and artillery that wounded two others, including a child; those killed included journalist Amal Khalil, per Al-Akhbar newspaper and a Lebanese military official. Israel said it was reviewing reports of journalists wounded in strikes on Hezbollah-linked vehicles and does not target journalists.
Tensions continued Thursday, with Israel's military striking a Hezbollah missile launcher that had fired into Israel (intercepted by air defenses). Hezbollah claimed the launch retaliated for an Israeli artillery strike on the Lebanese village of Yater, wounding two including a child. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said the group wants the ceasefire to continue but on the basis of full Israeli compliance.
