A senior Israeli official has stated that the country’s security cabinet will gather on Wednesday to deliberate on a possible cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, over six weeks into a conflict with Hezbollah that escalated from the broader US-Israeli confrontation with Iran.
The US president had earlier indicated that the conflict with Iran might conclude soon, telling the world to anticipate an “amazing two days”, as the head of Pakistan’s military arrived in Tehran to help avert further escalation.
The Israeli prime minister’s security cabinet is scheduled to meet at 8:00 pm local time regarding the potential halt in fighting in Lebanon.
A senior Hezbollah official told a news agency that diplomatic efforts by Iran and other regional states could lead to a ceasefire shortly, adding that Tehran had used its control over a strategic waterway as leverage.
Two other senior Lebanese officials said they had been informed that efforts were underway for a truce. One noted that the US had been pushing Israel to work toward a ceasefire in Lebanon, including during rare discussions between Israeli and Lebanese government envoys in Washington.
Israel designates Hezbollah exclusion zon
The Israeli offensive in Lebanon began in early March after Hezbollah launched fire toward Israel in support of Tehran, renewing hostilities between the adversaries just over a year after their previous major conflict.
Lebanese authorities report that the war has resulted in over 2,000 deaths and displaced 1.2 million people.
The Israeli military has deployed ground forces into the south, where it has pledged to establish a buffer zone and maintain control over territory extending to a river that meets the Mediterranean roughly 30 kilometers north of Israel’s border.
“I have instructed that the entire area of southern Lebanon up to the Litani River become a no-go zone for Hezbollah operatives,” the Israeli military’s chief of staff stated during a visit to southern Lebanon.
Israel reports that Hezbollah attacks have killed two Israeli civilians and 13 soldiers have died in Lebanon since early March.
Washington discussions
The two Lebanese officials lacked details on when any ceasefire might begin or its duration, suggesting that the timeframe would likely be tied to how long a truce between the United States and Iran holds.
Tuesday’s meeting in Washington marked the first direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in decades. Israel had previously ruled out discussing a ceasefire with Lebanon during those negotiations.
The US president has urged Israel to scale back attacks in Lebanon, apparently to avoid undermining the ceasefire with Iran.
Iran has insisted that Lebanon must be included in any agreement to end the broader Middle East conflict, while Washington has pushed back, stating there is no connection between the two sets of talks.
Hezbollah’s decision to open fire in early March sharply worsened long-standing tensions in Lebanon over its status as an armed group. The Lebanese government, which has been seeking Hezbollah’s peaceful disarmament since a war with Israel in 2024, banned the group’s military wing on that same day.
A senior Hezbollah lawmaker condemned the government’s decision to hold talks with Israel, stating in a televised press conference that the government had “taken a wrong path that leads only to increasing the rift” among Lebanese.
