The US described initial ceasefire talks between Lebanon and Israel as 'positive,' aiming to extend a fragile truce despite ongoing violence. The current ceasefire is set to end soon.

The US hailed “positive talks” on Thursday, as it sought to extend a shaky ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. The truce – considered to still be in place despite hundreds of deaths in Israeli strikes – ends on Sunday and violence again flared as the two governments met in Washington. Israel has pounded Lebanon and invaded its south in response to retaliatory fire from Shia movement Hezbollah following Israel’s killing of Iran’s supreme leader at the start of the war on February 28. Israeli...