Israel and Lebanon agreed Wednesday to renew a fragile ceasefire and create pilot security zones inside southern Lebanon, the two sides said.
The U.S.-brokered joint statement said the ceasefire "is contingent on a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives" from areas south of the Litani River.
The joint statement said it would establish "pilot" security zones inside Lebanon from which Hezbollah militants would be banned and called for the Lebanese army to take full control of those areas.
Hezbollah is not part of the Israel-Lebanon talks. The group is backed by Iran, has significant influence within Lebanon, especially among its Shiite community, and the Lebanese state has long struggled to exert control over it or to get it to give up its arms.
The joint statement, issued by the Israeli, Lebanese and American governments, said the parties agreed to hold a further round of talks in about three weeks "with a view toward reaching a comprehensive agreement." It added: "All countries reaffirmed that the future of the relationship between Israel and Lebanon must be decided by the two sovereign governments. They rejected any attempt, by any state or non-state actor, to hold Lebanon's future hostage."
Both governments reported more than 3,000 deaths in Lebanon since fighting began in early March and said that dozens of Israelis have been killed; the Lebanese government also said more than 1 million people in Lebanon have been displaced.
President Trump said Israel and Hezbollah agreed to cut back fighting on Monday and that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to call off a "major raid of Beirut" and "stop shooting at" Hezbollah.
Netanyahu later said on social media that he told Mr. Trump the Israeli military would strike targets in Beirut "if Hezbollah does not cease attacking our cities and citizens."