Israel, Lebanon agree ceasefire with 'pilot zones'

Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a renewed ceasefire following US-mediated talks at the State Department in Washington, with the agreement contingent on Hezbollah stopping all attacks against Israeli territory and withdrawing its operatives from southern Lebanon. The joint statement, released after the fourth round of negotiations this year, introduced "pilot zones" as the main new element, where the Lebanese Armed Forces will take exclusive control of territory south of the Litani River to the exclusion of all non-state actors. Both sides agreed to return for another round of negotiations in Washington on June 22, 2026, with the aim of reaching a comprehensive peace and security agreement. The talks were led by Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh, marking the highest-level direct contact between the neighboring countries since 1993. The negotiations build upon previous ceasefire understandings that Israel has repeatedly violated, intensifying its invasion in response to Hezbollah rocket fire that the militant group launches without approval from the Lebanese government. Israeli forces recently captured Beaufort Castle, a 900-year-old Crusader fortress on a strategic hilltop previously used as an Israeli base during its two-decade occupation that ended in 2000. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the military advancement a "dramatic shift" and ordered expanded ground operations in Lebanon. The conflict has resulted in devastating casualties, with Lebanese health authorities reporting more than 3,500 deaths from Israeli attacks since early March. The occupation and civilian casualties have complicated US negotiations with Iran, as Tehran has demanded that any deal include an end to hostilities in Lebanon. According to Axios, President Donald Trump reportedly called Netanyahu "f***ing crazy" during a heated phone conversation after the Israeli leader threatened to bomb Beirut again.