BEIRUT, Apr 24: Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend a fragile ceasefire by three weeks, US President Donald Trump said Friday, despite continued violence on the ground and growing scepticism from Hezbollah.
Trump announced the extension after hosting Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors in Washington, expressing optimism about prospects for peace even as US efforts to end the broader Middle East war with Iran remain stalled.
"I think there's a very good chance of having peace. I think it should be an easy one," Trump told reporters. The truce had been due to expire on Sunday.
The US-mediated ceasefire, which took effect on April 16, has significantly reduced hostilities but has not halted them entirely. Israel has continued strikes in southern Lebanon, while Iran-backed Hezbollah has launched sporadic rocket fire. Israeli forces also remain deployed in a self-declared buffer zone along the border.
Hezbollah dismissed the extension as meaningless. Lawmaker Ali Fayad said ongoing Israeli "hostile acts" - including shelling, assassinations and demolitions - undermined the truce.
"Any Israeli aggression… gives the resistance the right to respond proportionately," he said, adding that extending the ceasefire "makes no sense" under such conditions.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah reignited in early March when the group opened fire in support of Iran during the wider regional war. While the Lebanon ceasefire was negotiated separately, Tehran has called for its inclusion in any broader agreement.
On the ground, the human toll remains stark. In the southern Lebanese city of Tyre, resident Mohamad Ali Hijazi sifted through rubble left by an Israeli air strike that killed members of his family just before the truce began.
"I'm trying to find my mother's hairbrush… and a bottle of perfume that she loves," said the 48-year-old, describing the devastation of his home and loss of loved ones.
In Washington, Trump also voiced hope for a potential meeting between Israeli and Lebanese leaders - a rare prospect given the two countries have been formally at war for decades and have not held such direct talks since 1993.
The ceasefire extension comes as tensions persist between the United States and Iran. Trump said he was in "no rush" to end the conflict, warning that "the clock is ticking" for Tehran.
Diplomatic efforts remain uncertain. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has held discussions with Pakistani officials, including Muhammad Ishaq Dar and army chief AsimMunir, as Islamabad seeks to mediate between Washington and Tehran.
Meanwhile, the strategic Strait of Hormuz remains a focal point of the Iran has largely closed the vital shipping route in retaliation for the war, while the United States has imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports. "AFP, REUTERS
