Israel, Lebanon extend fragile ceasefire by 45 days after Washington talksTensions across the Middle East intensified on Thursday as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continued, while regional leaders clashed diplomatically over the widening conflict and its impact on global energy security.Hezbollah said it had launched an explosive drone at Israeli troops near the border town of Rosh HaNikra in northern Israel. The Israeli military said several civilians were injured after the drone fell inside Israeli territory, while the Galilee Medical Center confirmed four casualties, including one person in critical condition. The strike came as Israeli and Lebanese officials held a fresh round of talks in Washington aimed at extending a fragile ceasefire due to expire on Sunday.Despite the truce technically remaining in place since April, both sides have continued exchanging attacks. Lebanon’s state news agency reported new Israeli airstrikes in the south and east of the country, while Israel claimed it had struck more than 65 Hezbollah targets in the past 24 hours. Lebanese authorities say more than 2,800 people have been killed since the conflict escalated earlier this year.The wider regional crisis also exposed sharp divisions within BRICS during a foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States and Israel of “illegal aggression” and urged BRICS nations to condemn the attacks on Iran. Diplomats said heated exchanges broke out between Iran and the UAE over allegations linked to attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reportedly stepping in to calm tensions.External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar warned that instability in West Asia was threatening maritime trade and global energy supplies, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz. He called for dialogue, respect for sovereignty and uninterrupted shipping routes, while stressing that “peace cannot be piecemeal”.Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, thousands of Israeli nationalists marched through the Old City during the annual Jerusalem Day procession, with some groups chanting anti-Arab slogans and confronting Palestinian residents and journalists. The event unfolded under heavy police presence and added to fears of rising communal tensions amid the broader regional conflict.