President Donald Trump announced a three-week extension of the cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday, averting the expiration of a prior ten-day truce set to conclude this Sunday.
The extension follows negotiations hosted at the White House between Israeli and Lebanese representatives, during which Trump stated that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to pursue peace between their nations.
The original cease-fire, announced on April 16, had been intended to de-escalate renewed hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah that resumed in early March. That truce was due to lapse on April 27, prompting diplomatic efforts to prevent a resumption of fighting.
Trump linked the cease-fire extension to ongoing talks between the United States and Iran, noting that Iranian officials had previously demanded a Lebanon truce as a precondition for negotiations to be held in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Despite the announcement, reports indicated that Israeli military operations continued in southern Lebanon in the hours following the statement, with Hezbollah responding with attacks on Israeli troops and rocket fire into northern Israel. A Lebanese journalist was killed in an Israeli strike in the village of al-Tiri on Wednesday even as seeking shelter with a colleague.
The White House has not released further details on the terms of the extension or outlined a timeline for potential peace talks beyond expressing hope that a broader agreement could be reached within the year.
