A 45-day extension to the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has been agreed upon, following negotiations facilitated by the United States. The talks, the third round since Israel increased airstrikes on Lebanon after Hezbollah launched missiles at Israel on March 2, concluded on Friday with plans for future discussions.
“The ceasefire established on April 16 will be extended for an additional 45 days to allow for further progress,” said U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott on X. He mentioned the negotiations were “highly productive,” with the original ceasefire set to expire this Sunday.
Both Lebanese and Israeli representatives expressed optimism about the talks, which aim to resolve long-standing conflicts. Since the escalation, Israel’s bombing and ground operations in southern Lebanon displaced approximately 1.2 million people. A ceasefire was announced last month after initial diplomatic efforts involving U.S. and Israeli ambassadors in Washington.
Despite ongoing exchanges of fire primarily in southern Lebanon—where Israeli forces maintain a self-declared security zone—both sides continue to engage in negotiations. Lebanon’s delegation, participating despite Hezbollah’s objections, emphasizes a need for hostilities to end. Israel maintains that disarming Hezbollah is essential for any durable peace agreement.
These high-level meetings mark the most significant contact between Lebanon and Israel in decades, expanding to include security and military officials. Pigott announced that a new “security track” of negotiations will commence at the Pentagon on May 29, with another political session scheduled in Washington from June 2-3.
“The goal is to foster lasting peace, mutual recognition of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and secure borders,” Pigott stated.
Lebanon’s delegation highlighted their desire to convert the ceasefire’s momentum into a comprehensive peace agreement, asserting that the extension creates vital space to bolster institutions and develop a stable political path.
Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter, described the negotiations as “frank and constructive,” emphasizing that although challenges remain, the chances for success are promising. “Our main priority throughout these talks is the safety of our citizens and soldiers,” he said.
الوسم: Hezbollah
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Israel, Lebanon Extend Ceasefire by 45 Days After U.S. Talks
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Israel Hits Lebanon with Heavy Airstrikes as Hezbollah Holds Fire
Smoke rises after an Israeli strike on the southern outskirts of Beirut, seen from Baabda, Lebanon, April 8, 2026. — Reuters
Israel has launched its most intense attacks on Lebanon since the recent conflict with Hezbollah began last month, despite Hezbollah temporarily halting its attacks on northern Israel and Israeli forces in Lebanon under a two-week ceasefire brokered by the US and Iran.
Multiple explosions rocked Beirut, with smoke spreading across the city, as Israel’s military claimed it conducted the largest coordinated attack of the ongoing war. Over 100 Hezbollah military and command centers were targeted in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon, according to military officials.
The strikes resulted in 89 fatalities—including a dozen paramedics—and injured 700 people nationwide, according to Lebanon’s health ministry spokesman. In Beirut, witnesses reported seeing motorcyclists rushing to hospitals to assist wounded due to a shortage of ambulances. Firefighters worked to extinguish flames in a parking lot after one strike destroyed more than a dozen cars.
Lebanon’s medical community, led by Elias Chlela, urged doctors from all specialties to go to hospitals available to provide support. One of Beirut’s major hospitals requested donations of all blood types to help with the casualties.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated overnight that the ceasefire, which paused the six-week-old US-Israeli conflict with Iran, does not include Lebanon. Israeli forces indicated their operations against Hezbollah there would continue, contradicting comments from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a key mediator in the ceasefire talks, who had said Lebanon was included in the truce.
Earlier, Lebanon’s official news agency, NNA, reported ongoing Israeli strikes throughout southern Lebanon, including artillery shelling and a dawn airstrike near a hospital that killed four people. The Lebanese health ministry confirmed an airstrike on Sidon killed eight and wounded 22. Another strike hit central Beirut early in the evening.
Hezbollah ceased attacks against Israeli targets early Wednesday, according to three Lebanese officials close to the group. The last public statement from Hezbollah on its military activities, made at 1 a.m., claimed it targeted Israeli forces in Lebanon Tuesday evening.
A woman surveyed the site of an Israeli attack in Al Manara, Beirut, where an apartment was hit, causing minor damage to surrounding buildings. The military’s recent strikes, mostly in civilian-populated areas, drew sharp criticism from Lebanon. Prior warnings were issued for some parts of southern Beirut and Lebanon, but central Beirut was hit without a prior alert.
Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee claimed on X (formerly Twitter) that Hezbollah had relocated from its Dahiyeh stronghold in southern Beirut to city areas including the north. He warned Hezbollah that Israel would pursue and act forcefully wherever they are.
Since Hezbollah launched rockets in solidarity with Iran on March 2, over 1,500 people have been killed in Israel’s air and ground campaign in Lebanon, including more than 130 children and over 100 women. Israel has issued evacuation orders covering roughly 15% of Lebanon, mostly in the south and surrounding Beirut’s suburbs, displacing over 1.2 million residents.
Israel has also vowed to control southern Lebanon up to the Litani River as part of a “security zone” meant to safeguard its northern communities. A displaced individual from Beirut’s southern suburbs expressed hope for a ceasefire, lamenting that Lebanon’s economy is collapsing under the strain.
Meanwhile, families in Sidon prepare to return home, stacking belongings onto cars while waiting for official clearance. The local mayor, Mustafa al-Zein, reported that over 28,000 people are sheltering in the area as of Tuesday night and urged residents to wait for official signals before attempting to return.
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US Pushes for Final Year-End Hezbollah Disarmament
Lebanon’s government has received a proposal from the United States aimed at completely disarming Hezbollah by the end of this year. The initiative seeks to reduce regional tensions and promote stability, according to a Lebanese cabinet agenda reviewed by Reuters. The plan was presented by Tom Barrack, President Donald Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, and was discussed during a cabinet meeting on Thursday. It offers the most comprehensive steps yet toward dismantling the Iran-backed group, which has refused to disarm despite increasing international calls following last year’s conflict with Israel.
Lebanese Information Minister Paul Morcos stated after the meeting that the cabinet approved only the general goals of Barrack’s proposal, not the full details. He explained that the discussion was limited to the plan’s objectives rather than its specifics.
The US plan’s goals include phased disarmament of all non-state armed groups, including Hezbollah, redeployment of Lebanese security forces to strategic border and interior zones, withdrawal of Israeli forces from five specific positions, negotiation of prisoner exchange issues through indirect talks, and permanent demarcation of Lebanon’s borders with Israel and Syria.
A State Department spokesperson welcomed Lebanon’s decision to assign the Lebanese Armed Forces the authority to unify control of weapons in the country’s hands. Israel declined to comment publicly, and the defense ministry did not respond immediately.
Hezbollah has yet to issue an official statement on the proposal. However, three political sources told Reuters that ministers affiliated with the group and their Shi’ite Muslim allies left the cabinet meeting in protest over discussions related to the plan.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Iranian state TV on Wednesday that efforts to disarm Hezbollah are not new, emphasizing that the final decision ultimately rests with Hezbollah itself. “We support them, but we do not interfere in their decisions,” he noted.
Last year, Israel launched a significant offensive against Hezbollah, which had supported Palestinian militant groups like Hamas. The hostilities escalated in October 2023 when Hezbollah initiated fire at Israeli positions at the border, coinciding with Hamas’s conflicts in Gaza.
The US plan also aims to stabilize a ceasefire agreement brokered in November between Lebanon and Israel. It underscores the urgency due to rising reports of Israeli violations, including airstrikes and cross-border operations, which threaten to undermine the fragile truce.
The phased approach involves several key milestones: within 15 days, Lebanon’s government should issue a decree committing to Hezbollah’s disarmament by December 31, 2025, while Israel halts military operations. Over the next 60 days, Lebanon is expected to start implementing disarmament plans and deploy Lebanese forces in targeted areas. During this period, Israel would withdraw from certain positions in southern Lebanon, and prisoner exchanges would take place under Red Cross supervision.
Within 90 days, Israel would withdraw from its remaining positions, and international funding would support cleanup efforts and infrastructure rebuild in Lebanon. By 120 days, Hezbollah’s heavy weaponry, including missiles and drones, should be dismantled.
Following these steps, the US, along with regional allies like Saudi Arabia, France, and Qatar, plans to hold an economic conference to bolster Lebanon’s economy and aid reconstruction, aiming to realize Trump’s vision of restoring Lebanon as a prosperous, viable nation.
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Exploring the Continued Use of These Devices
Pagers, once thought to be outdated, have gained renewed attention following a series of explosions in Lebanon.
These devices, utilized by Hezbollah, exploded throughout the country, resulting in at least 12 fatalities and injuring over 3,000 individuals, as reported.
Hezbollah has accused Israel of rigging the pagers with explosives, although neither side has officially confirmed this allegation.
What Are Pagers?
Pagers, commonly referred to as beepers, are compact, wireless devices that receive messages through radio signals.
Invented in 1921, they gained popularity during the 1980s and 1990s as a dependable communication tool.
While their usage has declined with the advent of mobile phones, pagers are still prevalent in certain sectors, like healthcare, where their reliability and extended battery life remain valuable.
There are primarily two types of pagers: one-way pagers, which can only receive messages, and two-way pagers, which can both send and receive communications.
Pagers offer a degree of privacy and security that modern smartphones lack, as they do not feature GPS or Bluetooth capabilities, thus reducing traceability.
Why Do Pagers Remain in Use?
Despite the prevalence of smartphones, pagers continue to play a vital role in specific industries.
Emergency services, hospitals, and certain paramilitary groups continue to depend on them for their reliability, particularly in locations with weak mobile networks or during natural disasters when cellular communication can become compromised.
In healthcare, pagers are favored for their functionality in noisy settings and their resistance to internet-based vulnerabilities.
Pagers also offer enhanced privacy, which is why groups like Hezbollah prefer them for internal communications.
These devices generate a smaller digital footprint compared to mobile phones, thereby lowering the risk of hacking or surveillance.
Hezbollah’s Usage of Pagers and the Recent Explosions
In the recent incidents, pagers used by Hezbollah militants across Lebanon began to overheat and explode simultaneously, leading to turmoil and injuries.
Hezbollah has claimed this was a coordinated attack orchestrated by Israeli intelligence.
The explosions have sparked inquiries into whether the pagers were tampered with or if the incidents were related to defects in their lithium batteries.
According to Hezbollah, the scale and timing of the blasts indicate deliberate sabotage.
Why Are Pagers Beneficial for Hezbollah?
Hezbollah, a paramilitary organization, continues to favor pagers due to their lower traceability compared to mobile phones, which provides a layer of operational security.
These devices are straightforward, reliable, and effective in areas with limited mobile coverage, aligning well with Hezbollah’s requirements.
While the group has shifted from using mobile phones to evade potential Israeli surveillance, the pager explosions reveal that even this older technology can be susceptible to sabotage.
There is speculation that the explosions may have resulted from tampered devices or battery malfunctions.
Gold Apollo, the company behind the pagers used in Lebanon and Syria, has disclosed that the production of these beepers was handled by a firm based in Budapest.