On Friday, the US State Department announced a 45-day extension of the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, signaling the start of a new round of negotiations and the establishment of a joint security track under US sponsorship. A State Department statement detailed that a fourth round of negotiations will be held between the two sides on the second and third of June to discuss mechanisms for solidifying calm and stability. The launch of a joint security track at the Israeli Ministry of Defense late this month was also announced, with the participation of high-ranking military delegations to discuss security and field arrangements on the border. These developments follow a round of talks held in Washington on Thursday, which came after a significant Israeli military escalation in southern Lebanon that resulted in civilian casualties, despite the truce declared in April. Through sponsoring these intensive talks, Washington aims to reach a "comprehensive agreement for peace and security" to end the ongoing tension between the two parties.