The United States announced Friday that the ceasefire arrangement between Israel and Lebanon will remain in effect for another 45 days as negotiations between the two countries continue under American mediation.

The extension came after a third round of discussions hosted by the Trump administration in Washington, DC.

“On May 14 and 15, the United States hosted two days of highly-productive talks between Israel and Lebanon. The April 16 cessation of hostilities will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress,” said State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

Pigott said additional negotiations are already scheduled for the coming weeks, with separate diplomatic and military channels set to move forward.

“The State Department will reconvene the political track of negotiations on June 2 and June 3. In addition, a security track will be launched at the Pentagon on May 29 with military delegations from both countries,” he added.

American officials expressed hope that the talks could eventually lead to a broader and more stable agreement between the neighboring countries.

“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,” said Pigott.

Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, also commented on the negotiations following the latest meetings in Washington.

“Concluding 2 days of negotiations with Lebanese and American officials, I’m looking forward to the next steps. The peace talks were frank and constructive, and are set to move forward on two tracks: security and political,” he wrote on social media.

Leiter cautioned that the process could face challenges, while emphasizing that Israeli security would remain the top priority.

“There will be ups and downs, but the potential for success is great. What will be paramount throughout negotiations is the security of our citizens and our soldiers,” added Leiter.

US officials said Thursday that the first day of discussions had been “productive and positive,” with talks focused on creating a permanent peace arrangement and securing the full disarmament of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror organization.

According to Reuters, Thursday’s negotiations lasted approximately eight hours and centered largely on developing a framework for a long-term security agreement. Talks resumed Friday morning.

Even as negotiations continued, Hezbollah reportedly violated the ceasefire Friday by firing mortar shells and launching explosive drones toward Israeli territory.

{Matzav.com}