The U.S. announces a three-week extension of the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, British media: Eased the intensity of the Lebanon-Israel conflict

[Global Times Correspondent in Egypt Huang Peizhao, Global Times Reporter Du Tianqi] According to Reuters, on the 23rd local time, U.S. President Trump announced that after high-level talks between Lebanon and Israel at the White House, the two countries have extended their ceasefire agreement for three weeks. Trump announced this news on the social media platform "Truth Social," stating that the talks "went very smoothly," and that the U.S. will cooperate with Lebanon to assist it in resisting Hezbollah.

Reuters reported that on the 23rd local time, Trump met with Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren and Lebanese Ambassador to the U.S. Nada Hamadeh Mouawad in the Oval Office to initiate the second round of U.S.-mediated bilateral talks between Lebanon and Israel. U.S. Vice President Pence, Secretary of State Rubio, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michelle Issa also attended the meeting in the Oval Office.

Shortly after the talks, Trump posted on Truth Social, stating: "The meeting went very smoothly! The U.S. will cooperate with Lebanon to assist it in resisting Hezbollah." When asked what specific measures the U.S. would take to assist Lebanon in countering Hezbollah, Trump did not disclose details, only stating that the U.S. has a good relationship with Lebanon, while emphasizing that Israel must have the right to self-defense against Hezbollah attacks. Trump also revealed plans to host Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House in the near future. He expressed hope that the two leaders could meet during the three-week ceasefire window and believed that the possibility of reaching a peace agreement this year is very high.

The BBC reported that Mouawad, Oren, and Huckabee all praised Trump's role in the Lebanon-Israel negotiations. Mouawad's core demand during her visit to the U.S. for negotiations was to push for an extension of the ceasefire. She thanked Trump and stated: "With your assistance and support, we will surely make Lebanon great again." Oren stated that under Trump's leadership, "Iran's power has significantly diminished, making it possible to weaken Hezbollah and liberate Lebanon." He also said that the common goal of Israel and Lebanon is to free Lebanon from "the evil force of Hezbollah." Huckabee compared Hezbollah to a child throwing stones at every household window in the community. He said that once this child is stopped, neighboring countries, including Lebanon and Israel, will be able to coexist peacefully.

According to Reuters, Hezbollah did not send representatives to participate in the Lebanon-Israel talks and did not immediately comment on Trump's statement. Hezbollah member Hassan Fadlallah stated in a televised speech that the organization supports the continuation of the ceasefire, but on the condition that Israel must fully comply with the ceasefire terms. He reiterated his opposition to face-to-face negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, urging the Lebanese government to completely sever all direct ties with Israel. Additionally, Hezbollah confirmed that in retaliation for Israel's continuous attacks, the organization launched four rounds of military operations in southern Lebanon on Wednesday.

At midnight local time on the 17th, a 10-day temporary ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel came into effect. According to Lebanese health authorities and media reports on the 22nd, Israel launched airstrikes on the town of Tyre in southern Lebanon that day, resulting in the death of one journalist and injuries to another, with Lebanese ambulances being attacked by Israeli forces during the rescue process. In response, Israel stated that the reason for the attack was Hezbollah's violation of the ceasefire agreement.

Regarding the incident involving the attacked journalists, Israel responded on the 22nd that it is launching an investigation. Israel stated that the military strike targeted vehicles evacuating Hezbollah positions and did not intend to target journalists, emphasizing that the military consistently adheres to the principle of not intentionally attacking media personnel. On the 23rd, in a BBC program, Netanyahu's diplomatic advisor, Falk, stated that the incident is still under investigation, but did not provide a reasonable explanation when questioned about "why so many journalists have been killed if it was not a deliberate policy."

Reuters reported that the three-week ceasefire agreement reached at the White House has clearly eased the intensity of the Lebanon-Israel conflict, but attacks in southern Lebanon have not ceased, and Israeli forces have unilaterally designated and effectively controlled a buffer zone in the area. A Lebanese official previously revealed that the core demands for the next phase of negotiations include: complete withdrawal of Israeli forces, the release of Lebanese personnel detained by Israel, and the demarcation of the land border between the two countries. The Israeli government hopes to work with Lebanese authorities to jointly counterbalance Hezbollah.

The new round of conflict between Hezbollah and Israel began on March 2. Hezbollah claimed to have opened fire in support of Iran's position in regional conflicts. Reuters stated that this ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel is independent of the U.S. efforts to ease tensions over Iran's nuclear issues; however, Iran has repeatedly called for Lebanon to be included in a comprehensive ceasefire framework. Currently, Israel has long occupied a narrow strip of southern Lebanon, extending 5 to 10 kilometers deep. Israel argues that controlling this area is to prevent Hezbollah rocket attacks and ensure the security of Israel's northern border. The Israeli military has warned residents of southern Lebanon that unauthorized entry into the controlled area is prohibited.

Official data from Lebanon on the 22nd shows that since Hezbollah launched its attack on March 2 and Israel began a large-scale military counterattack, the national death toll in Lebanon has approached 2,500. United Nations statistics indicate that the conflict has displaced over one million people across Lebanon, accounting for about one-fifth of the total population, with refugees primarily coming from the southern region, where many homes and villages have been destroyed by Israeli forces.