US Announces 45-Day Extension of Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire; Next Talks Scheduled

US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott announced that the April 16 ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon had been extended by 45 days, to approximately June 30, 2026, following the conclusion of the Washington talks. The deal established two negotiating tracks: a military/security track meeting at the Pentagon on May 29, and a political track reconvening June 2–3. Lebanon's core demands remained full Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territory and a permanent halt to airstrikes; Israel's conditions included credible mechanisms for Hezbollah disarmament south of the Litani River. Hezbollah rejected the negotiations outright, with its leadership declaring the talks and their outcomes unacceptable, casting doubt on the ceasefire's durability. Foreign Policy published analysis titled 'Trump's Lebanon Negotiations Are Breaking the Country', arguing the process was straining Lebanon's internal cohesion.