Israeli and Hezbollah officials, backed by Iran, were reportedly on the verge of reaching a ceasefire agreement on Tuesday, according to officials from Israel and Lebanon. This deal could bring an end to the conflict that has claimed thousands of lives since it began 14 months ago, sparked by the Gaza war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened with his security Cabinet on Sunday to review the terms of the deal, with an announcement potentially coming within the week. The United States is also engaged in the negotiations, with President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, expected in Lebanon on Monday to meet with Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil.
A US official, who spoke anonymously, said the talks were progressing well but that some outstanding issues remained. Lebanon’s deputy parliament speaker, Elias Bou Saab, told Reuters that “no serious obstacles remain” to a deal and expected an announcement shortly. He said a key sticking point was who would monitor the truce, with the Lebanese seeking an international committee, including France, chaired by the United States. Israel, meanwhile, has been insisting that the new arrangement should allow it to act if Hezbollah moves back south of the Litani River and is perceived as preparing an attack against it.
Hezbollah’s leader, Naim Kassem, suggested last week that he was open to a ceasefire but made clear that a deal must include a requirement for Israel to stop its attacks on Lebanon and give Hezbollah freedom of movement within the country. Thousands of residents have been displaced from their homes close to the border since Hezbollah started launching rocket attacks on Israel after Israel’s 7 October raid on Gaza, in solidarity with its Palestinian Hamas allies.
The United States has been leading the push for a deal, with senior State Department and White House officials visiting Israel and Lebanon recently. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is scheduled to arrive in Beirut on Wednesday for further talks with Lebanese and Israeli officials, as well as Hezbollah representatives.
Several senior Israeli politicians have warned that a deal with Hezbollah could be a “historic mistake.” The far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, has long worked to thwart any potential ceasefire and praised the reported progress as a “missed opportunity to eradicate” Hezbollah. On Sunday, former Israeli defense minister Moshe Yaalon echoed that view, saying a truce was a “mistake” and warned it would lead to more fighting.
A senior Lebanese government official spoke anonymously and was similarly skeptical but said the sides appeared to be moving closer to an agreement. The official said Lebanon’s foreign minister had agreed to a plan for an international monitoring committee and that the US would be willing to act as a referee in case of violations. Airstrikes and a ground invasion have backed Israel’s military offensive in Lebanon, and its bombardment of Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon has left hundreds dead.
