Israel–Lebanon Ceasefire Extended 45 Days, Yet Fighting and Casualties Continue

Even after a ceasefire took effect in April, both sides continued to accuse each other of violations, with intermittent drone attacks, missile launches, and airstrikes along the border.

The 45‑day ceasefire extension

The original ceasefire was announced on 16 April 2026 following U.S.-mediated diplomacy between Israel and Lebanon.

In mid‑May, the two countries agreed to extend the cessation of hostilities for another 45 days after negotiations in Washington. Officials said the extension was intended to create time for further political and security negotiations.

Diplomatic meetings between Israeli and Lebanese representatives—facilitated by the United States—are expected to continue in the coming weeks as mediators try to prevent a renewed full‑scale war.

Death toll and humanitarian impact in Lebanon

The fighting has caused a severe humanitarian crisis in Lebanon.

According to Lebanon’s health authorities, about 2,882 people have been killed by Israeli strikes since the war escalated on 2 March 2026, including hundreds of women and children.

Even after the April ceasefire began, violence continued. Lebanese officials say around 380 people have been killed and more than 1,100 wounded since the truce took effect on 17 April.

The conflict has also forced large numbers of civilians from their homes. Lebanese government data reported more than 127,000 displaced people staying in shelters as of mid‑May, with thousands of families affected.

International organizations and governments have warned that the ongoing fighting is worsening an already fragile humanitarian situation in the country.

Why both sides say they are still attacking

Both Israel and Hezbollah claim their actions are defensive or retaliatory.

Hezbollah has framed its attacks as retaliation against Israel and the United States and as support for Iran following the strikes on Tehran earlier in the conflict.

Israel, meanwhile, says its airstrikes target Hezbollah military infrastructure and Iran‑aligned groups responsible for attacks on Israeli territory.

Some governments have also publicly blamed Hezbollah for escalating the crisis and called for the group to halt attacks and disarm in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which governs security arrangements along the Israel–Lebanon border.

U.S.-brokered diplomacy and negotiations

The ceasefire extensions are the result of rare direct diplomatic talks between Israel and Lebanon, facilitated by the United States in Washington.

These meetings—some of the first direct negotiations between the two countries in decades—are meant to address both immediate security concerns and longer‑term political arrangements along the border.

However, the negotiations face major obstacles. Hezbollah opposes Lebanon’s participation in direct talks with Israel, and key issues such as Israeli military operations and Hezbollah’s armed presence in southern Lebanon remain unresolved.

Why Lebanon’s president refuses to meet Netanyahu

A potential meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been discussed by U.S. mediators, but Aoun has declined.

Aoun says the timing is not appropriate for a summit and insists that Israeli attacks must stop and a security agreement must be reached first.

He has stated that negotiations should focus on halting hostilities and establishing security guarantees before any leader‑level meeting is considered.

A ceasefire without real peace

The current 45‑day extension has bought time for diplomacy, but it has not ended the conflict. Airstrikes, rocket attacks, and casualties continue while negotiators attempt to move toward a broader settlement.

Until core disputes—especially Hezbollah’s role, Israeli security demands, and border arrangements—are addressed, the ceasefire is likely to remain a temporary pause rather than a lasting peace.