Israel, Lebanon agree to renew truce, create ‘pilot’ zones where Hezbollah is banned

By AP 4 June 2026, 2:17 am

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United States Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, second from left, is joined by third from left: State Department Chief of Staff Dan Holler, Sr., State Department Counselor and Director, Office of Policy Planning Michael A. Needham and United States Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, as they meet with Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Nada Hamadeh, at the State Department, June 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Israel and Lebanon agreed yesterday to renew their fragile ceasefire and create a number of “pilot” security zones inside Lebanon from which Hezbollah terrorists would be banned.

In a joint statement released after a fourth round of US-mediated talks at the State Department, the two sides say the ceasefire “is contingent on a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives” from areas south of the Litani River. It is not immediately clear how the security zones would be established, but the agreement calls for the Lebanese army to take full control of those areas.

“These steps will enable progress towards a comprehensive peace and security agreement,” the statement says. “All countries reaffirmed that the future of the relationship between Israel and Lebanon must be decided by the two sovereign governments. They rejected any attempt, by any state or non-state actor, to hold Lebanon’s future hostage.”

The latter is a reference to Iran, which supports Hezbollah and has insisted that Israeli attacks on Lebanon be halted as part of a tentative agreement with the US to end the conflict with Iran. Hezbollah is not part of the Israel-Lebanon talks.

The fresh announcement suggests that Trump’s declaration on Monday that Washington had brokered a fresh truce between Israel and Hezbollah, after the one reached in April unraveled, did not extend beyond halting planned Israeli strikes in Beirut.

The new announcement also attempts to separate efforts to reach a deal to end the conflict with Lebanon and the war with Iran. Trump appeared to undercut that effort with his announcement two days ago, which came after Iran threatened “consequences” over escalating Israeli strikes.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.