Israel and Lebanon agree to implementation of ceasefire

Lebanon and Israel have announced on Wednesday that they had agreed to the implementation of a ceasefire following negotiations in Washington aimed at ending the conflict that flared up alongside the war in Iran.

The ceasefire is contingent on a complete cessation of fire from Hezbollah and the evacuation of all of its operatives from the South Litani Sector, according to a joint statement released with the United States.

"The two sides agreed with the guidance of the United States to swiftly advance the creation of pilot zones in which the Lebanese Armed Forces will take exclusive control of the territory to the exclusion of all non-state actors," they said.

Israel and Lebanon had previously agreed to a cessation of hostilities through a ceasefire in April that was then extended in May, but violence has continued.

Israeli drone strikes killed at least six people in southern Lebanon and targeted a car south of Beirut ​on Wednesday, Lebanese security sources said. Israel said it intercepted a hostile aircraft likely fired by Hezbollah.

A US-mediated agreement announced on Monday had led Israel to step back from attacking the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut, and the Iran-backed group to halt cross-border strikes.

Israel invaded Lebanon in March in pursuit of Hezbollah which fired across the border in support of Tehran.

Iran has said it will not agree to a deal to end the conflict with the United States and Israel launched in late February unless a ceasefire also covers Lebanon.

Lebanon and Israel on Wednesday agreed to further direct negotiations to build confidence and resolve other outstanding issues.

The pair will reconvene to hold political and security-related talks during the week of June 22 with a view toward a comprehensive agreement, according to the statement.

US- IRAN CEASEFIRE STRAINED BY FLARE-UPS

Since the US and Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, Tehran has repeatedly attacked targets in the Gulf region, home to US military bases.

Hostilities have periodically flared up in recent weeks despite a ceasefire agreed in early April, as the US has pushed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which handled roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the war.

Last week, Iran and the US signalled progress towards a tentative initial agreement to halt the war and reopen the strait, but the two sides have yet to sign off on the deal, which would leave more complex negotiations for later.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Lebanese broadcaster Al Mayadeen on Wednesday that talks had not been cut off but no progress had been made.

In addition to Tehran conditioning a deal on an end to fighting in Lebanon, it also wants access to billions of dollars in oil revenue, waivers on sanctions on crude exports, a lifting of a US blockade on its ports and continued leverage over the strait.

US President Donald Trump, who is under pressure to bring down fuel prices, has said his top priority is to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran says its atomic program is for peaceful purposes. In a podcast interview released on Wednesday, Trump said Iran had agreed to not have a nuclear weapon and that Khamenei was involved in negotiations.

Later on Wednesday Trump suggested there could be progress in negotiations with Iran as soon as this weekend.

“If it happens, it could happen over the weekend,” Trump told reporters in the White House’s Oval Office, without elaborating on what he expected to happen within that timeframe.

Trump said that parties were working to separate the issue of reopening the strait from the conflict in Lebanon.

ISRAEL KEEPS UP STRIKES ON LEBANON

The war has killed thousands, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, while causing global economic pain ⁠by severely disrupting energy supplies and other shipping.

It also sparked the latest round of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

On Wednesday, Israeli drone strikes killed at least six people in southern Lebanon and targeted a car just south of Beirut, Lebanese security sources said, while Israel said it intercepted a hostile aircraft likely fired by Hezbollah.

Araqchi said Iran would respond decisively if Israel attacks Beirut.

In his podcast comments, Trump acknowledged having called Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "crazy" during a reportedly expletive-filled phone exchange over the fighting in Lebanon as he sought a deal over the wider war.

"At some point I said, Bibi, we got to stop this. We got to stop it," Trump said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname.

Netanyahu told CNBC in an interview that he and Trump sometimes had "tactical disagreements" but that they agreed on the main issues concerning Iran.