Israel and Lebanon agree to US-brokered ceasefire, but strikes continue and Hezbollah stays silent

A conditional deal in Washington

Lebanese and Israeli officials, meeting at the State Department, agreed on Wednesday to implement a ceasefire brokered by the United States. The joint statement, released by the State Department, makes the truce strictly conditional on a complete cessation of fire from Hezbollah and the evacuation of all its operatives from the area between the border and the Litani River. The two sides had agreed to a ceasefire last month, but hostilities continued.

The ceasefire is contingent on a complete cessation of fire from the Iran-aligned Hezbollah militia and the evacuation of all its operatives from the South Litani Sector.

The delegations, led by ambassadors Yechiel Leiter of Israel and Nada Hamadeh of Lebanon, described the measures as necessary steps toward a comprehensive peace and security agreement. This was the fourth round of peace negotiations this year; the first high-level contact between the two neighbours, which lack diplomatic relations, took place on 14 April, marking the most significant engagement since 1993. A further round of talks is scheduled for 22 June in Washington.

Israel keeps striking and stays put

Within hours of the announcement, Israel carried out several attacks in southern Lebanon. Lebanon's National News Agency reported a drone strike on a motorbike that killed one person and wounded another, while a drone buzzed over Beirut. The Israeli military said it was continuing to target Hezbollah facilities. Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that Israeli forces would remain in the self-declared security zone, including the area of Beaufort castle seized at the weekend, and would not permit the return of displaced residents.

Israel will, for the time being, continue its fire and operations on the ground.

Katz added that Israel retains, with U.S. backing, the freedom to carry out strikes in Beirut in response to attacks on Israeli communities and territory. The Israeli campaign has displaced roughly 1.2 million people, including hundreds of thousands from southern Lebanon, most of whom are Shi'ite Muslims, according to Lebanese authorities.

Hezbollah's silence and the Iran link

Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shi'ite group that is not a party to the Washington talks, has yet to comment on the agreement. The war reignited on 2 March when Hezbollah opened fire in support of Tehran as it came under U.S.-Israeli attack. Iran has demanded an end to Israeli attacks in Lebanon as part of any broader deal to resolve the regional conflict. The ceasefire is therefore entangled with the wider U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, and Tehran has said it will not agree to a settlement unless a truce also covers Lebanon.

Pilot zones and the Lebanese army

The agreement calls for the swift creation of pilot zones in which the Lebanese Armed Forces will take exclusive control of the territory, to the exclusion of all non-state actors — a clear reference to Hezbollah. The joint statement said Lebanon and Israel agreed to further direct negotiations to build confidence and resolve other outstanding issues.

Political pushback in Israel and Italy's reaction

Inside Israel, the deal drew immediate criticism. Far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called the truce a "serious mistake," arguing that Hezbollah would not withdraw and that the Lebanese army would be unable to compel it to cooperate. "The Lebanese state is a partner of Hezbollah," he said. "In practice, Hezbollah will only grow stronger." Tensions between Washington and Jerusalem surfaced earlier in the week when a phone call between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu reportedly escalated, with Trump allegedly calling Netanyahu "crazy."

Italy welcomed the announcement. Premier Giorgia Meloni's office expressed hope for a lasting end to hostilities through strict adherence to commitments, including the cessation of all military activities by Hezbollah, and condemned the attack in southern Lebanon that killed a Serbian UNIFIL peacekeeper.

Italy welcomes the announcement of the renewed ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, hoping for a lasting end to hostilities through strict adherence to the commitments made, including the cessation of all military activities by Hezbollah.