Israel and Lebanon agree to 45-day extension of ceasefire

The aftermath of an Israeli airstrikes on southern Beirut's al-Shiyah neighbourhood in April. Picture: Getty Images

Israel and Lebanon have extended their ceasefire following talks in Washington, US officials said.

In Washington, Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 45-day extension of their ceasefire after two “productive” days of talks, which will be followed by more negotiations on June 2-3, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.

A shaky truce between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon had been due to end on Sunday.

Mr Pigott said: “We hope these discussions will advance lasting peace between the two countries, full recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and establishing genuine security along their shared border."

Irish foreign affairs minister Helen McEntee welcomed the ceasefire announcement. 

In a statement on Friday night, she said: "There is no real prospect of peace while civilians in southern Lebanon continue to live under threat, displacement and insecurity. The suffering of communities affected by this conflict cannot become normalised or overlooked.

"Nevertheless, any step that helps reduce violence, protect civilian lives and create space for diplomacy is to be welcomed.

It is vital that all sides fully respect the ceasefire and engage constructively in the negotiations ahead," said Ms McEntee.

She added: "I am fully conscious, too, of the fragile and challenging security situation in southern Lebanon for Irish peacekeepers serving with UNIFIL. I want to assure personnel and their families that their safety and wellbeing remain paramount."

Despite the ceasefire, both sides continue to trade strikes.

The Israeli military said on Friday it struck Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon after reporting hostile aircraft alerts and launches from across the border.

Lebanon’s health ministry said nearly 40 people were wounded in Israeli strikes near the coastal city of Tyre.

One strike “levelled” a primary health centre and also damaged the neighbouring Hiram Hospital, wounding six medical staff members, the statement said.

Lack of trust

Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign minister has said a lack of trust is the biggest obstacle in negotiations to end the war with the US, saying that Tehran would be open to diplomatic help, particularly from China, to help ease tensions.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said contradictory messages have “made us reluctant about the real intentions of Americans”.

“We are in doubt about their seriousness,” he told reporters in New Delhi, India, adding that negotiations would move forward if Washington was ready for a “fair and balanced deal”.

US president Donald Trump speaks with Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday. Picture: Evan Vucci/AP

US president Donald Trump earlier this week dismissed Iran’s latest formal proposal as “garbage”.

While Iran was said to include some nuclear concessions, Mr Trump has said he wants to remove highly enriched uranium from the country and prevent it from developing nuclear weapons.

Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.

With talks between Iran and the US at a standstill during the shaky ceasefire, tensions remain high and threaten to tip the Middle East back into open warfare and prolong the worldwide energy crisis sparked by the conflict.

Iran still has a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway where a fifth of the world’s oil passed through before the war, and America is blockading Iranian ports.

Mr Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping, who finished talks on Friday, agreed the strait needs to be reopened.