Envoys Meet in Washington as Lebanon Pushes to Extend Fragile Ceasefire with Israel

Lebanese and Israeli envoys are meeting in Washington for a second time in two weeks as Lebanon presses for an extension of a fragile, U.S.-mediated ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.

Ceasefire at Risk

The 10-day truce is due to expire on Sunday. Its fragility has been underlined by mutual accusations of violations: Iran-backed Hezbollah said it fired rockets at northern Israel in response to alleged Israeli breaches, while Israel has accused the group of its own violations.

Casualties and Frontline Developments

Lebanese authorities report that more than 2,400 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel launched an offensive following Hezbollah's March 2 attacks. Israel says its forces have seized a strip of territory along the border to create a buffer zone aimed at protecting northern Israeli communities from rocket fire, which Hezbollah has used extensively during the fighting.

Burnt cars are piled at the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut, Lebanon, April 19. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

Agenda in Washington

A Lebanese official said the meeting will focus on two main items: seeking an extension of the current ceasefire and setting a timetable for broader negotiations beyond ambassador-level talks. Lebanon intends to press for an Israeli withdrawal from border areas, the return of Lebanese detainees held in Israel, and a formal delineation of the land border.

The official added that Beirut views a ceasefire extension as a precondition for moving to expanded negotiations.

"A ceasefire should be transformed into permanent agreements that preserve the rights of our people, the unity of our land, and the sovereignty of our nation," said Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Domestic Divisions

Hezbollah, which has said the truce reflected Iranian pressure, has criticised the Lebanese government for engaging in direct talks with Israel. That stance highlights deep political divisions in Lebanon: Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri opposes face-to-face negotiations and has advocated indirect talks, while leading Druze politician Walid Jumblatt has urged a clear agenda that includes withdrawal of Israeli forces and suggested updating the 1949 armistice as a possible framework.

A family drives past shops and houses damaged by an Israeli strike, amid a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, in Mansouri village, southern Lebanon, April 21, 2026. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Israeli Position and Incidents

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described direct negotiations as "historic" after more than 40 years, while also sharply criticising Lebanon's government. The Israeli military reported it had killed two militants who crossed its "Forward Defense Line" in south Lebanon and approached Israeli soldiers, an incident Israel characterised as a ceasefire violation.

U.S. Role

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to attend the Washington meeting. Lebanon is represented by Ambassador Nada Moawad and Israel by Ambassador Yechiel Leiter. When the ceasefire was announced on April 16, U.S. President Donald Trump said he had instructed Rubio, Vice President JD Vance and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine to work with both countries to pursue lasting peace. U.S. officials have denied any formal link between this diplomatic track and separate international efforts to reduce regional tensions.

The Washington talks will test whether limited, ambassador-level diplomacy can be translated into broader negotiations addressing withdrawal, detainees and boundary delineation—and whether the fragile truce can be extended beyond its current 10-day span.