US President, Donald Trump has said that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire.
Trump wrote on social media after speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun that the truce will take effect at 5pm on Thursday (21:00 GMT). “These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5 P.M. EST,” Trump wrote.
“On Tuesday, the two Countries met for the first time in 34 years here in Washington, D.C., with our Great Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. I have directed Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Rubio, together with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Razin’ Caine, to work with Israel and Lebanon to achieve a Lasting PEACE.
“It has been my Honor to solve 9 Wars across the World, and this will be my 10th, so let’s, GET IT DONE!”
Donald Trump
The ceasefire follows an intense week of diplomacy. On Tuesday, Lebanese and Israeli envoys met in Washington, DC, in their countries’ first direct diplomatic contact in decades. The talks were hosted by Rubio. Both sides described the talks as positive although Aoun refused to speak directly with Netanyahu, a government official divulged, adding that Washington “understands Lebanon’s position.”
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the announcement in a post on X, describing the ceasefire as “a central Lebanese demand we have pursued since the first day of the war” and the primary goal of Tuesday’s meeting between Lebanese and Israeli officials in the US.
Salam also offered prayers for those killed and expressed hope that the more than one million people forced from their homes by Israel’s bombardment and invasion of Lebanon would be able to return “as soon as possible.”
Lebanon was drawn into the US-Israeli war on Iran on March 2 when Hezbollah, the Iran-aligned Lebanese armed group, fired rockets at Israel in response to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28 in an Israeli strike on the opening day of the war on Iran.
Israeli forces responded with a ferocious campaign that has since killed more than 2,196 people in Lebanon and wounded thousands more. Israel has also issued forced evacuation orders covering roughly 15 percent of Lebanese territory.
The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said strikes have killed nine people across the southern district of Tyre over the past two days, including a paramedic.
Trump To Invite Netanyahu, Aoun To Washington For Talks
In the second post on Truth Social after announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, Trump said that he would be inviting the leaders of both countries to Washington for talks.
“I will be inviting the Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, and the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, to the White House for the first meaningful talks between Israel and Lebanon since 1983, a very long time ago. Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly!”
Donald Trump
Meanwhile, a two-week US-Iran ceasefire – which the US and Israel said does not cover Lebanon, is due to expire on Wednesday, but a new round of negotiations is expected to be held in Pakistan. Iran had made securing a Lebanon ceasefire a firm demand before any potential talks, and Tehran’s parliament Speaker said halting the fighting there was “just as important” as ending the war with the US.
Hezbollah, however, is not party to the agreement and has rejected the diplomatic process outright. Its lawmakers called negotiations with Israel “wrong” and accused the Lebanese government of making damaging concessions.
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