Israel and Lebanon agree to renew fragile ceasefire after US talks

Israel and Lebanon have agreed to renew a fragile ceasefire and establish a series of pilot security zones inside Lebanon, according to a joint statement issued after talks in Washington. The announcement follows a fourth round of US-mediated discussions at the State Department and marks the clearest sign yet of movement in the cross-border conflict. The agreement says Lebanese armed forces will take exclusive control of the pilot zones, while Hezbollah operatives are to be withdrawn from areas south of the Litani River.