An Israeli air strike in the southern Lebanese town of Harouf has tragically claimed the lives of six individuals, including three paramedics, with a fourth paramedic sustaining critical injuries, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. This incident unfolds concurrently with an announcement from the United States that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend a fragile ceasefire by 45 days. The initial truce, declared by US President Donald Trump on April 16, has struggled to hold, with both sides continuing to engage in exchanges of fire.

The US State Department confirmed the ceasefire extension following two days of negotiations in Washington D.C., expressing hope that these discussions would foster lasting peace, mutual recognition of sovereignty, and genuine security along the shared border. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott indicated that the political track of negotiations is set to reconvene in June, with a security track involving military delegations from both nations scheduled to launch at the Pentagon on May 29. Israel’s Ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, described the talks as “frank and constructive,” while Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam voiced his intent to mobilize Arab and international support to strengthen Lebanon’s position in future negotiations.

Despite diplomatic efforts, the region has seen almost daily clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces across Lebanon’s southern border. Lebanon’s health ministry previously reported that Israeli air strikes on Wednesday had killed 22 people, including eight children, across the south. Israel has intensified its air and artillery strikes, particularly in southern Lebanon, stating its objective is to target Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure to establish a buffer zone. Conversely, Lebanon’s health ministry has accused Israel of targeting civilians and paramedics, an allegation Israel denies. Hezbollah has also launched its own attacks on Israeli troops in Lebanon and northern Israel using rockets and drones.

The conflict, which ignited on March 2 following a joint US and Israeli attack on Iran, has led to a devastating humanitarian situation. Hezbollah’s retaliatory rocket fire into Israel was met with widespread Israeli air strikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon. Southern Lebanon, a stronghold for Hezbollah, has endured constant bombardment, resulting in the displacement of over one million people—roughly one-fifth of Lebanon’s population—from their homes, primarily in the south, the eastern Bekaa Valley, and the southern suburbs of Beirut. Lebanese health authorities report that at least 2,896 people have been killed in Lebanon since the conflict began, while Israeli authorities confirm 18 soldiers and four civilians have died over the same period.