Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend their ceasefire by three weeks following a rare meeting of officials and ambassadors at the White House. US President Donald Trump announced the extension, stating he believes there is a great chance for a peace deal and voicing hope for a permanent, everlasting agreement this year. Trump noted that he expects Israeli and Lebanese leaders to meet with him over the next few weeks.
Despite the extension, the truce remains fragile as fighting persists on the ground. Hezbollah has called the US-mediated ceasefire meaningless, with a lawmaker firmly rejecting the agreement. Both Israel and Hezbollah have accused each other of multiple violations. Recent Israeli airstrikes killed two people in the village of Touline and four others in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military also reported eliminating more than 15 terrorists, including six Hezbollah fighters in the Bint Jbeil area, while ordering residents to evacuate another southern town. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has continued to launch rockets and drones at Israel.
These developments occur against a backdrop of regional tension, with hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel having reignited on March 2 in support of Iran. Simultaneously, the US and Iran remain locked in a costly standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, where a US naval blockade persists amid stalled peace talks. Despite US claims, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei stated that the Iranian leadership remains unified.