Israel and Lebanon Reach Agreement on Ceasefire Conditions

<p>Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a full ceasefire, contingent upon Hezbollah ceasing attacks and withdrawing its operatives from the area south of the Litani River in Lebanon, according to a joint statement from the U.S., Israel, and Lebanon.</p><p>Hezbollah had previously indicated it would agree to a full ceasefire, but it remains unclear if the group will accept the terms set by the Israeli and Lebanese governments.</p><p>A full ceasefire in Lebanon is a key demand from Iranian officials as part of their negotiations with the Trump administration regarding an agreement to end the war.</p><p>On Monday, President Trump halted Israel's plans for extensive strikes on Beirut in response to Hezbollah's drone and missile attacks. Following a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump announced a new partial ceasefire in Lebanon, which includes an Israeli commitment not to attack Beirut in exchange for Hezbollah stopping its attacks on Israeli towns along the border. However, Hezbollah has conducted several drone attacks against targets in Israel in the 48 hours following this announcement.</p><p>The agreement between Israeli and Lebanese officials was reached after two days of negotiations at the U.S. State Department, mediated by Trump officials. As part of this agreement, both sides will establish "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon where the Lebanese Armed Forces will have exclusive control to ensure there is no Hezbollah presence, while the Israel Defense Forces will withdraw from the area. The parties stated that these steps will facilitate progress towards a comprehensive peace and security agreement.</p><p>The joint statement emphasized that the future relationship between Israel and Lebanon must be determined by the two sovereign governments and rejected any attempts by any state or non-state actor to influence Lebanon's future.</p><p>Israel and Lebanon reaffirmed their lack of hostile intent towards each other and committed to continuing direct negotiations to build confidence, resolve outstanding issues, and work towards a comprehensive agreement. Another round of negotiations is scheduled for June 22 in Washington, D.C.</p>