Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend their ongoing ceasefire by 45 days following two days of US-mediated talks in Washington that concluded on Friday. The agreement aims to prolong the halt in hostilities between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The ceasefire was originally set to expire on Sunday, but US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott announced the extension to ensure further progress under the April 16 conflict resolution deal.

The discussions, described as highly productive, mark the third round of meetings between the two sides since Israel intensified airstrikes in Lebanon after Hezbollah launched missiles on March 2. The talks are part of a broader diplomatic effort to end both the Israel-Lebanon and US-Iran conflicts. Lebanon’s delegation emphasized its priority to achieve lasting peace, while Israel insisted that any broader peace deal must include Hezbollah’s disarmament.

New security-focused discussions are scheduled to begin at the Pentagon on May 29, followed by political talks on June 2–3. Both delegations expressed optimism that the ceasefire could evolve into a permanent peace agreement.