Israel and Lebanon agree to ceasefire

The US State Department reported that representatives of Israel and Lebanon agreed to adhere to the ceasefire. The agreement was reached through the mediation of the American side.

The condition for the agreement was a complete ceasefire on the part of the Lebanese group Hezbollah. The group's militants will also have to leave territories in the south of the country.

Both sides agreed to resume security discussions in the week beginning June 22. The goal of the negotiations will be to achieve a comprehensive agreement.

The escalation in relations between Israel and Lebanon began at the end of May. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then ordered the launch of a ground operation in Lebanon against Hezbollah, citing increased attacks on northern Israel.

This happened despite the truce concluded in mid-April between the two sides. In May, following two days of negotiations, it was extended for another month and a half.

However, this escalation almost derailed peace negotiations between Iran and the United States: on June 1, the Iranian Tasnim agency wrote that Tehran was interrupting all negotiations with Washington after Israeli strikes on Lebanon. Tehran and Washington then exchanged their biggest mutual blows since early April.

Donald Trump called Netanyahu “a damn madman” in a telephone conversation after Israeli strikes on Hezbollah. He later confirmed this himself in an interview with The New York Post.