The United States announced Sunday that the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, brokered to halt last year’s war with Hezbollah, will remain in effect until February 18, 2025. The announcement comes amid rising tensions after Israel said it would maintain troops in southern Lebanon beyond the original deadline for withdrawal.
“The arrangement between Lebanon and Israel, monitored by the United States, will continue to be in effect until February 18, 2025,” the White House said in a statement.
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On Sunday, Israeli forces killed 22 people in southern Lebanon, including one Lebanese soldier, as thousands of displaced residents attempted to return to their homes in defiance of Israeli military orders, according to Lebanese authorities. Lebanon’s US-backed military accused Israel of delaying its withdrawal and causing further instability in the region.
The Hezbollah-Israel conflict, fought in parallel with the Gaza war, led to a significant Israeli offensive that displaced over a million people in Lebanon and severely weakened the Iran-backed Hezbollah group. Israel has justified its ongoing presence in southern Lebanon by citing efforts to dismantle Hezbollah’s weapons caches and infrastructure, as well as to secure the return of Israelis displaced by Hezbollah rocket fire.
The White House also confirmed that Lebanon, Israel, and the US will begin negotiations for the return of Lebanese prisoners captured after October 7, 2023, when Hezbollah opened fire in support of Hamas following the outbreak of the Gaza war.