Lebanese official media said an Israeli strike hit a town in the country's south on Monday despite a 10-day ceasefire in force between Israel and Hezbollah.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri confirmed Monday to the Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that "Washington is making an effort to extend the ceasefire in Lebanon."

The Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to Washington will hold a second preparatory meeting Thursday at the U.S. State Department, a Lebanese official told Al-Jazeera.

The official said Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad will represent Lebanon at the meeting, which is "considered a continuation of Tuesday's meeting."

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Monday that Lebanon needs a lasting solution to permanently end the state of war with Israel, rather than merely settling for a temporary ceasefire, calling direct negotiations a "necessity" Hezbollah "forced" upon Lebanon.

In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Geagea said a meeting between President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "necessary" and should not be postponed. "President Aoun has to speak with the Israelis," he added. "Negotiations are not an option, but a necessity forced upon Lebanon by Hezbollah."

The Israeli army said Monday it attacked overnight "a fully equipped and ready-to-fire rocket launcher in the Qalawiya area of ​​southern Lebanon, north of the front line, in order to prevent an immediate threat to northern Israeli towns."

President Joseph Aoun met Monday with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon,l Michel Issa and discussed with him the general situation in light of the recent developments, as well as his talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Presidency said.

U.S. President Donald Trump said overnight that "hopefully the situation with Hezbollah will get straightened out quickly."

President Joseph Aoun said on Friday that Lebanon is on the verge of a "new phase" of "permanent agreements," after the ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war went into force.

"Now, we all stand before a new phase," Aoun said in his first speech to the nation since the truce, adding that "it is the phase of transition from working on a ceasefire to working on permanent agreements that preserve the rights of our people, the unity of our land, and the sovereignty of our nation."

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi said Friday that "war does not build a future, but rather destroys the present and steals tomorrow," calling for "rejecting the logic of violence and adhering to the logic of dialogue."

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday the United States had "prohibited" Israel from bombing Lebanon following a ceasefire deal, adding that Washington would work with Lebanon to "deal with" Hezbollah.

"Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer. They are PROHIBITED from doing so by the U.S.A. Enough is enough!!!" Trump said on his Truth Social network, a day after announcing the 10-day truce.