The US State Department announced on Friday that the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will be extended by 45 days to allow for further talks between the sides.
The announcement followed a third round of talks mediated by the Trump administration that was held in Washington, DC.
“On May 14 and 15, the United States hosted two days of highly-productive talks between Israel and Lebanon. The April 16 cessation of hostilities will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress," said State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
“The State Department will reconvene the political track of negotiations on June 2 and June 3. In addition, a security track will be launched at the Pentagon on May 29 with military delegations from both countries," he added.
“We hope these discussions will advance lasting peace between the two countries, full recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and establishing genuine security along their shared border," said Pigott.
"Concluding 2 days of negotiations with Lebanese and American officials, I’m looking forward to the next steps. The peace talks were frank and constructive, and are set to move forward on two tracks: security and political," he wrote on social media.
"There will be ups and downs, but the potential for success is great. What will be paramount throughout negotiations is the security of our citizens and our soldiers," added Leiter.
On Thursday, following the first day of this round of talks, US officials said the conversations were "productive and positive," adding that they are aimed at securing a permanent peace agreement and ensuring the total disarmament of the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror organization.
The eight-hour session on Thursday focused on a framework for a security agreement. Discussions are scheduled to resume on Friday morning, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah continued to violate the ceasefire on Friday by launching mortar shells and explosive drones towards Israeli territory.
(Arutz Sheva-Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)