Israel, Lebanon extend ceasefire 45 days

Israel and Lebanon agreed on May 15 to extend their ceasefire by 45 days after two days of talks at the U.S. State Department, according to the Trump administration. The extension keeps in place a truce first declared on April 16 after weeks of fighting tied to Israel’s conflict with Iran and its campaign against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The agreement came as Israeli strikes hit southern Lebanon on Friday, with smoke seen over Tyre in images carried by multiple outlets. The U.S. State Department said those strikes did not violate the terms of the ceasefire. ### What exactly did Israel and Lebanon agree to in Washington? The State Department said on May 15 that Israel and Lebanon had accepted a 45-day extension of the April 16 cessation of hostilities to allow more negotiations. In a statement released after the meetings, Washington said the two sides also agreed on a framework for talks aimed at “lasting peace,” mutual recognition of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and security along their shared border. (state.gov) The two-day meetings were held on May 14 and May 15 at the State Department. Reuters reported that the talks were facilitated by Washington and concluded with an agreement to hold further meetings in the coming weeks. ### Which talks happen next, and when? (state.gov) June 2 and June 3 are the dates set for the next round of the political track, according to the State Department statement. Washington said “significant progress” had been made on that political track during the latest meetings. (usnews.com) May 29 is the date for the security track to begin at the Pentagon, with military delegations from both countries expected to attend. Al-Monitor, citing the State Department, separately reported that the United States planned to launch those security discussions later this month. (state.gov) ### Why were Israeli strikes still taking place the same day? Tyre, in southern Lebanon, was struck on May 15 as the ceasefire extension was being announced. Reuters reported that the fresh violence underscored how fragile the arrangement remained even as diplomats wrapped up the Washington talks. (state.gov) State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the Israeli strikes did not breach the truce’s terms, according to Reuters and other reports carrying his remarks. Public summaries of the U.S. announcement did not spell out the operational threshold Washington used for that judgment. (usnews.com) ### How does Hezbollah fit into this arrangement? Bloomberg reported that Hezbollah was not a party to the ceasefire, though it had largely observed the arrangement. The talks themselves were between the governments of Israel and Lebanon, with the United States acting as mediator. (usnews.com) Southern Lebanon remains the focus because Israel’s military campaign there has been directed at Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure, according to Reuters. That has left the formal negotiating channel running through Beirut while the armed group remains central to conditions on the ground. (bloomberg.com) ### Where do Trump’s Iran comments fit into this? President Donald Trump said on May 15 that the Iran ceasefire had been “a favour to Pakistan” and that he could accept a 20-year suspension of Iran’s nuclear program if Tehran made a “real” commitment, according to Politico and other reports. Those remarks were separate from the Israel-Lebanon announcement but came the same day as Washington tried to stabilize several connected fronts in the region. (usnews.com) Politico reported that Trump’s acceptance of a 20-year moratorium marked a shift from his earlier insistence that Iran never be allowed to revive its nuclear program. Trump also said Iran’s latest proposal was not acceptable, according to reports from journalists traveling with him. (politico.com) May 29 is the next dated milestone in the Israel-Lebanon process, when military delegations are due at the Pentagon for the opening of the security track. June 2 and June 3 are the dates the State Department set for the political talks to resume. (state.gov) (politico.com)