Middle East crisis live: Trump claims Iranian supreme leader is involved in US negotiations

Israel and Lebanon have reportedly agreed to renew their shaky ceasefire and create a number of “pilot” security zones inside Lebanon from which Hezbollah militants would be banned .

In a joint statement released after a fourth round of US-mediated talks at the state department in Washington DC, Israel and Lebanon said the ceasefire “is contingent on a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives” from areas south of the Litani River.

It was not immediately clear how the security zones would be established but the agreement calls for the Lebanese army to take full control of those areas, the Associated Press is reporting.

The statement – released by the state department – said:

double quotation mark These steps will enable progress towards a comprehensive peace and security agreement. All countries reaffirmed that the future of the relationship between Israel and Lebanon must be decided by the two sovereign governments. They rejected any attempt, by any state or non-state actor, to hold Lebanon’s future hostage.”

The latter is a reference to Iran, which supports Hezbollah and is insisting Israeli attacks on Lebanon be halted as part of a framework agreement with the US to end the war with Iran.

Hezbollah isn’t part of the Israel-Lebanon talks and firmly opposes the negotiations, saying it won’t abide by any agreements that may result from them.