Ceasefire extension will bring relief amid ongoing Israel–Lebanon conflict – Expert

International relations commentator, Brooks Spector, says the extension of the temporary ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel will bring immediate relief for civilians caught in the conflict.

US President, Donald Trump, has announced a three-week extension to the ceasefire, just days before it was due to expire on Monday, following renewed weeks of fighting.

He previously announced a 10-day ceasefire last week, which Iranian negotiators had set as a prerequisite for future peace talks.

However, fighting continued over the past week, with Hezbollah firing rockets into northern Israel after accusing it of violating the previous ceasefire.

The extension follows talks in Washington aimed at halting violence involving Iran-backed Hezbollah and creating space for longer-term negotiations.

“The ceasefire offers two key benefits… It allows civilians to begin rebuilding their lives and creates a foundation for broader negotiations towards peace,” he said.

However, he cautioned that the agreement remains fragile and highly dependent on political will.

Spector noted that the ceasefire could open the door for the Lebanese government to reassert control over areas influenced by Hezbollah, but warned that this is far from guaranteed.

“It doesn’t guarantee sovereignty… the extent to which both sides act now will determine whether this leads to a lasting peace,” he said.

President Trump said the talks “went very well,” with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expected to meet him at the White House in the coming weeks.

US President Donald Trump posts on his Truth Social, “The President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, and Ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa, met today with… pic.twitter.com/7Y8pDaP5v8

— ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2026

Trump also signalled increased US involvement, saying Washington would support Lebanon in strengthening its security and countering Hezbollah’s influence.

“We’re putting them together,” he said.

With both Israel and Hezbollah previously accusing each other of violations, the coming weeks are likely to test whether this pause in fighting can evolve into a more permanent solution.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: We have a good relationship with Lebanon. The amazing thing is they actually have sort of a good relationship with Israel, they just don’t deal with each other.

But now they are going to deal with each other. We are going to help them. pic.twitter.com/Uz4WavEKLk

— Department of State (@StateDept) April 23, 2026

Meanwhile both sides have accused each other of ceasefire violations, with fighting continuing in recent days.

Earlier, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said it had intercepted several projectiles launched from Lebanon. Hezbollah, meanwhile, said it carried out rocket attacks targeting the area.

In a statement on X, the IDF said that it has killed three people it described as “Hezbollah terrorists” after they unsuccessfully launched a missile toward an Israeli Air Force aircraft.

According to Lebanese authorities, more than 2,300 people have been killed since the conflict began.

⭕️In response to the rockets launched by Hezbollah toward Shtula yesterday, the IDF struck Hezbollah military structures in the areas of Kherbet Selem and Touline in southern Lebanon.

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 24, 2026