President Donald Trump secured a temporary halt to fighting between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday, announcing a 10-day ceasefire that will begin at midnight Friday Israel time as part of broader diplomatic efforts between the two nations.
The president revealed he had productive conversations with both Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing the discussions as “excellent talks.” Trump characterized the temporary truce as progress toward lasting peace and announced plans to bring both leaders together for “the first meaningful talks since 1983.”
While Trump indicated earlier Thursday that Netanyahu and Aoun were prepared for direct discussions, two Lebanese officials later clarified that Aoun would refuse to meet with Netanyahu face-to-face unless Israel first committed to ending hostilities.
According to Israel’s U.S. Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, “Lebanon has expressed willingness to disarm Hezbollah.”
Israeli media reported that Netanyahu informed his security cabinet he accepted the ceasefire because Trump requested it. “Trump asked, and I agreed,” Netanyahu reportedly told his ministers. The Israeli leader also indicated his country would maintain oversight of “strategic points” throughout the 10-day period.
The security cabinet did not formally vote on the ceasefire agreement, and several ministers reportedly voiced displeasure after learning about the decision through news coverage. Netanyahu promised to convene a security cabinet meeting to discuss the matter at a future date.
Israeli Opposition Leader Yair Lapid condemned the move, stating: “Not for the first time, all the promises of this government collapse in the face of reality.” He continued: “The confrontation in Lebanon can end in only one way—the permanent removal of the threat to the northern communities. With this government, that won’t happen. We’ll do it under the next government.”
Hezbollah representative Ibrahim Moussawi indicated his organization would respect the ceasefire provided Israeli military actions cease completely. “We in Hezbollah will cautiously adhere to the ceasefire on the condition that it is a comprehensive halt to hostilities against us and that Israel not use it to carry out any assassinations,” he stated.
Moussawi also acknowledged Iran’s role, saying: “We express thanks to Iran for having applied pressure in Lebanon’s favor,” and noted that “the ceasefire would not have happened without Iran considering the ceasefire as equal to closing the Strait of Hormuz.”
