ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The United States on Thursday welcomed ongoing talks in Washington between Israel and Lebanon over an expiring ceasefire agreement, calling the discussions “productive and positive” as Israeli strikes and internal political tensions continue in Lebanon.

“We had a full day of productive and positive talks that lasted from 9 am to 5 pm,” a senior US State Department official told reporters on Thursday.

“We look forward to continuing this tomorrow and hope to have more to share then,” the official added, confirming that negotiations would continue for a second day on Friday.

Nominally still in place despite daily exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, the ceasefire, initially reached in mid-April, is set to expire on Sunday.

The talks come amid continued Israeli military operations in Lebanon and growing criticism from Hezbollah and its parliamentary bloc, Wafaa, over the Lebanese government’s participation in direct negotiations with Israel.

On Thursday too, the Wafaa bloc, Hezbollah’s political wing, said Israel’s actions during the negotiations showed it was using the talks to serve its own interests while continuing military operations and attempts to expand its occupation.

“The occupation’s crimes are an additional incentive for our people to adhere to the choice of resistance and possess all means of strength for liberation and protection,” the bloc said.

The bloc also criticized Lebanese authorities, saying the government was making concessions without even securing a ceasefire, warning that the process was increasing political divisions inside Lebanon.

It called on Lebanese authorities to “exit the disgraceful political path and return to constitutional principles to strengthen national unity.”

Tel Aviv has violated the ceasefire established on April 16 dozens of times, with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun insisting on April 29 that “Israel must realize once and for all that the only path to security is through negotiations, but it must first implement a complete ceasefire before moving to the negotiating phase.”

“If Israel believes it can achieve security through violations and the destruction of border villages, it is mistaken,” Aoun said, adding that “it has tried this before, and it yielded no results.”

"At present, more than three million people, meaning more than half of the population here in Lebanon, depend on humanitarian aid to survive," said EU crisis management chief Hadja Lahbib last Friday.

She asserted that the ceasefire has opened "a narrow window of hope," calling on Hezbollah "to cease its attacks and be disarmed" and insisting that "Israel must put an end to its bombardments."