Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire May Be Announced Soon As US Looks To De-Escalate Tensions In West Asia

Last Updated:April 16, 2026, 08:09 IST

A truce between Israel and Hezbollah could come into effect as early as this week, even as Israeli operations continue in the key town of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon.

A ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon to halt the Israeli military campaign against Hezbollah is expected to be announced “soon", Lebanese officials told the Financial Times, as the United States looks to reduce tensions in West Asia amidst its war against Iran.

A truce between Israel and the Lebanese militant group could come into effect “this week", most likely after Israeli ground forces complete operations in the key town of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, according to two people familiar with the matter. The conflict in Lebanon has become a sticking point in broader efforts to end the US-Israeli war against Iran that began on February 28.

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The situation has complicated attempts to build on a temporary ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump last week, which aimed to pause hostilities involving Iran and Israel. However, talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad failed to agree on a lasting peace deal.

Iran and Pakistan, which acted as mediator, have insisted that Lebanon is part of the ceasefire, but the US and Israel affirmed that it was not. Hezbollah, widely seen as Tehran’s most powerful regional ally, remains central to these negotiations.

A senior official in the Trump administration said on Wednesday that Washington has not pushed for a ceasefire in Lebanon, stressing that the issue remains separate from ongoing negotiations with Iran, according to FT. However, Trump would nonetheless welcome an end to hostilities in Lebanon if it emerges as part of a broader agreement between Israel and Lebanon, the official said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir arrived in Tehran as diplomatic engagement continues, with Trump signalling that a second round of US-Iran talks could take place within the next two days.

The fighting between Israel and Hezbollah began after the Iran-backed group launched attacks in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the initial salvo of the US-Israeli attacks. Israel has carried out a massive bombardment of Lebanon, and sent troops across the border in a bid to secure what some Israeli officials have described as a “buffer zone" into Lebanese territory.

At least 2,167 people have been killed in Lebanon since the outbreak of fighting on March 2, including 260 women, 172 children and 91 medical personnel, according to the country’s health ministry. Over a dozen Israeli soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive in Lebanon.

Despite ongoing diplomatic contacts, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed that military operations would continue. In a video statement released while the cabinet meeting was underway, Netanyahu said Israeli forces were intensifying operations against Hezbollah and were close to “overcoming" the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, a key stronghold of the group and an entry point to surrounding villages.

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