Israel and Lebanon Agree to Renewed Ceasefire and Hezbollah-Free Security Zones

by | Jun 4, 2026 | News

Israel and Lebanon reached an agreement Wednesday to renew their fragile ceasefire and establish a series of pilot security zones inside Lebanon from which Hezbollah would be banned.

A joint statement following US-mediated talks at the State Department stated that the ceasefire is contingent on a complete halt to Hezbollah fire and the withdrawal of all Hezbollah operatives from south of the Litani River, with the Lebanese army assuming full control of the designated areas.

The statement included a pointed reference to Iran, which backs Hezbollah and has sought to link any Lebanon deal to a broader halt to Israeli strikes. Hezbollah itself is not party to the negotiations.

The renewed agreement followed the rapid collapse of a previous ceasefire brokered in April, as Hezbollah continued its relentless rocket and drone fire and Israeli forces expanded ground operations and airstrikes in southern Lebanon. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Wednesday that for Israeli forces on the ground, “there is no ceasefire.”

The latest round of fighting began March 2, after Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel. Since then, 26 IDF soldiers have been killed in Lebanon, along with two Israeli civilians. Israel says it has killed over 2,500 Hezbollah operatives. Hezbollah has fired approximately 5,500 rockets at IDF forces and some 2,500 at Israeli territory since the fighting began.

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