US State Department says Lebanon cease-fire agreement close, steps still needed

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US announced Monday that it is close to brokering a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Lebanese group Hezbollah but emphasized that a deal has not yet been finalized.

“We don't believe we have an agreement yet. We believe we're close to an agreement,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.

“We believe that we have narrowed the gap significantly. But there are still steps that we need to see taken, but we hope to that, we hope that we can get there,” he added.

Miller declined to provide details about the agreement, which is reportedly expected to establish a 60-day cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah.

Israeli public broadcaster KAN, citing an Israeli source, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to a US-backed cease-fire with Lebanon.

The report came one day after US envoy Amos Hochstein on Sunday threatened to withdraw from mediation efforts aimed at brokering a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Lebanon if Tel Aviv does not accept the US proposal, according to Israeli media.

Israel has escalated its airstrikes in Lebanon against what it claims are Hezbollah targets as part of year-long warfare against the Lebanese group since the start of the Gaza war last year.

More than 3,600 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, with more than 15,300 injured and over a million displaced since October 2023, according to Lebanese health authorities.

This Oct. 1, Israel expanded the conflict by launching a ground incursion into southern Lebanon.