New Lebanon Ceasefire Agreement: How It Differs from the April Deal

The administration of President Donald Trump announced on June 4 that Israel and the Lebanese government had reached a new US-mediated ceasefire agreement, despite Israel's Defense Minister insisting that the military would continue operations in Lebanon.

However, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stated the ceasefire would take effect within 24 hours after approval by all relevant parties, while Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected the deal, calling it a "surrender and failure."

The new agreement comes just weeks after a previous cessation of hostilities was reportedly reached on April 16. Since then, more than 600 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon, as Israel expanded its military presence in the south, now occupying approximately one-fifth of the country.

The renewed diplomatic effort coincides with Washington's parallel shuttle diplomacy with Iran. Tehran, a close ally of Hezbollah, has made a ceasefire in Lebanon a condition for any broader agreement to end the war with the US and has repeatedly called for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani emphasized the fundamental demand that Israeli forces must return to positions held before the US-Israeli war on Iran began in late February—a demand not explicitly mentioned in the agreement.

Reactions from Iran and Hezbollah, along with Israel's assertion that military operations will continue, have cast serious doubt on the deal's enforceability. Critics of Israel's war in Lebanon also point to the April ceasefire, which they say completely failed to halt Israeli attacks or the occupation of southern Lebanon.

Content of the new agreement

According to the Trump administration, Israel and Lebanon agreed to implement a ceasefire on the condition of a "complete cessation" of Hezbollah attacks and the evacuation of the group's fighters from areas south of the Litani River. The deal also calls for the establishment of "pilot zones" that the Lebanese Armed Forces will exclusively control, "excluding all non-state actors." The aim is to move toward a broader political and security agreement, including disarming non-state armed groups and preventing their re-emergence.

However, Hezbollah did not participate in the negotiations and has rejected the agreement. Lebanon was represented by government diplomats, although the Lebanese army is not a party to the conflict. The parties are expected to reconvene the week starting June 22 to continue diplomatic and security talks, with the US facilitating communications in the interim.

Comparison with the April deal

The April deal used different language, stating that Israel and Lebanon would implement a "cessation of hostilities" from April 16 and never actually used the term "ceasefire." It also included a clause allowing Israel to "take all necessary measures for self-defense, at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks."

That clause does not appear in the new text, which could be seen as a minor concession. But Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz later declared that Israel would continue military operations in Lebanon regardless. The latest agreement also reiterates Israel's longstanding demand that Hezbollah withdraw from areas south of the Litani River.

A major omission: while the text focuses heavily on Hezbollah's withdrawal from southern Lebanon, it does not address an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Lebanese analyst Souhayb Jawhar noted that the agreement is defined as much by what it omits as by what it includes. The text, he said, focuses on obligations for Hezbollah and the Lebanese state: removing armed elements from south of the Litani and creating areas where the Lebanese army holds exclusive control.

Other differences

The "pilot zones" appear to go beyond a cessation of fighting and instead test a new security model in southern Lebanon, one that could eventually be expanded elsewhere. According to Jawhar, the deal's fate may depend less on Lebanon-Israel negotiations and more on the US-Iran channel. If Washington and Tehran reach a broader understanding, the Lebanon ceasefire would have a stronger chance of holding. "If those talks stall or collapse, Lebanon could quickly revert to being one of the main arenas for pressure and confrontation between the two sides," he added.

Current situation

Southern Lebanon remained under heavy military pressure on June 5, with Israeli airstrikes on Kafra and al-Mansouri in the southwest. In the Bekaa Valley, one person was killed and four wounded in an attack on Sohmor. A separate strike targeted Tell al-Aqareb, while other airstrikes hit Haddatha, Tibnin, Haris, and Harin. Israeli drones flew at low altitude over Beirut.

In Maaroub, one person was killed and another wounded when Israeli forces targeted a motorcycle. Israeli warplanes also struck towns and villages across the south, including Zawtar al-Sharqiya, Zawtar al-Gharbiya, Shoukin, Barachit, Srifa, Zibdin, Haris, and Deir Zahrani. Aircraft and drones flew over the southern area for most of the morning, including a drone seen at extremely low altitude over Tyre.

The Lebanese Civil Defense Authority has warned residents not to return to the south, citing continued dangers to civilian life. More than 3,000 people have been killed and over one million displaced since Israel renewed its attack on Lebanon in early March.