May 15, 2026 — Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend a fragile ceasefire for another 45 days, US officials said, as diplomatic talks in Washington aimed at stabilizing the border continue alongside renewed violence.
The US State Department announced the extension on Friday, saying the April 16 cessation of hostilities would be lengthened to allow further negotiations. Washington described the two days of talks as “highly productive” and said the parties would reconvene in early June to pursue a US-facilitated security track.
Lebanon’s negotiating delegation welcomed the outcome, saying the extension and the security track offer “critical breathing space” for citizens, strengthen state institutions and could help advance a political path toward lasting stability. Israel’s ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, described the discussions in Washington as “frank and constructive,” saying security for civilians and soldiers would remain paramount during negotiations.
Violence persisted even as diplomats met. Lebanese authorities said an Israeli strike on a health centre in the south village of Haruf killed at least six people, including three paramedics from the Islamic Health Committee; a fourth paramedic was critically wounded and the facility was destroyed. Separately, the Israel Defense Forces said it struck Hezbollah infrastructure near Tyre and issued evacuation warnings for five villages in southern Lebanon, underscoring the fragility of the truce.
Northern Israel also reported several explosive drones falling inside its territory with no injuries, highlighting ongoing cross-border tensions despite the ceasefire framework.
Gaza remained tense as well. Israeli airstrikes on Friday targeted Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the head of Hamas’s armed wing, described by the military as one of the supposed masterminds behind the October 7 attacks that sparked the wider Gaza war. Israel did not immediately confirm whether Haddad was killed. Medics in Gaza reported at least seven people killed in the strikes that hit an apartment and a vehicle, and around 50 wounded.
An October ceasefire agreement brokered by the US has reduced the pace of large-scale Israeli operations in Gaza, but strikes and clashes have continued. Local health authorities say at least 856 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the October truce, while Israeli military figures record five soldier deaths in the same period.
The diplomatic push around the wider region has involved major powers. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and US President Donald Trump urged Iran to return to the negotiating table, keep shipping lanes open and be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons. China renewed calls for a comprehensive, lasting ceasefire in the Iran conflict and for reopening key maritime routes such as the Strait of Hormuz. Iran signalled it would welcome China’s diplomatic assistance.
Regional energy moves reflect the heightened insecurity. The United Arab Emirates ordered state oil firm ADNOC to fast-track construction of a pipeline bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, with completion aimed for 2027, as Abu Dhabi seeks to secure export routes amid instability.
Meanwhile, Palestinians marked the 78th anniversary of the Nakba under the shadow of the Gaza ceasefire. Events included a children’s run organised by an aid group in Gaza to give orphaned children a brief moment of normality amid the ongoing humanitarian strain. The Nakba commemorations recall the mass displacement around Israel’s creation in 1948; many survivors and descendants continue to live as refugees across the region.
The extension of the Israel-Lebanon truce provides a pause for diplomacy, but the simultaneous strikes, evacuations and drone incidents illustrate the precariousness of any ceasefire. Negotiators in Washington hope the US-facilitated security track can turn temporary calm into more durable arrangements, but repeated violations and broader regional tensions mean the situation remains unstable.