Donald Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend the ceasefire between them for an additional three weeks. The decision was made during a meeting that brought together representatives from both countries, held at the White House.
In a message shared on social media, Trump said, “The meeting went very well!” He added that “the United States will work with Lebanon to help it counter Hezbollah.”
“The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has been extended by three weeks,” he stated.
What to know about the ceasefire
On April 16, a 10-day ceasefire had been agreed upon between the two sides, with only two days remaining before it expired. It has now been extended to last three weeks.
Under the terms, Israel is expected to retain the right to take any necessary measures for self-defense at any time, in response to planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks. This means it can act if it feels threatened.
Lebanon, on its part, is required to take “concrete measures” to prevent Hezbollah and other non-state armed groups from carrying out attacks against Israel.
Both sides agreed that Lebanon’s official security forces are solely responsible for maintaining the country’s security.
Israel and Lebanon have also requested the United States to continue acting as a mediator in talks aimed at “resolving all remaining issues.”
The two countries do not have diplomatic relations, and prior to these recent talks, the last high-level discussions between them took place in 1993.
