US President Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon on Friday that could pause hostilities in the country after weeks of Israeli attacks and ground operations, and could boost attempts to extend the ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel.
Israel has not been fighting with Lebanon itself, but rather with the Iran-backed Hezbollah group inside the country, who were not formally part of the agreement. Barrages of gunshots rang out across Beirut as residents fired into the air just after midnight to celebrate the beginning of the truce.
“I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel. 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,” wrote Trump in a post on Truth Social.
Displaced families began moving toward southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs, despite warnings by officials not to attempt to return to their homes until it became clear whether the ceasefire would hold.
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he agreed to the ceasefire “to advance” peace efforts with Lebanon, but maintained that Israeli troops on the ground, who had occupied swathes of southern territory to establish a “security zone”, would not withdraw.
Netanyahu, in his video address, said it will extend 10 kilometres into Lebanon. “That is where we are, and we are not leaving,” he said. Hezbollah said the Israeli occupation grants Lebanon and its people the right to resist it, indicating that fighting could re-erupt if IDF forces do not withdraw.
The US State Department, whose chief – Marco Rubio – mediated the talks, said that according to the agreement, Israel reserves the right to defend itself “at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.”
The deal however asserted that Israel otherwise “will not carry out any offensive military operations against Lebanese targets, including civilian, military, and other state targets.”
The wording suggested Israel would maintain the freedom to strike at will, as it did in the months following the ceasefire that ended the previous war. This time, Hezbollah said it would respond to any strikes by Israel.
The agreement came after a meeting between Israel’s and Lebanon’s ambassadors in Washington and a flurry of subsequent phone calls from Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to a White House official.
They were the first direct diplomatic talks between the two countries in decades. Hezbollah had opposed direct talks between Lebanon and Israel.
Lebanon has insisted on a ceasefire to stop the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah before engaging in more talks, while vowing to commit to disarming the group. Israel and Lebanon have technically been at war since Israel was established in 1948, and Lebanon remains deeply divided over diplomatic engagement with Israel.
Trump also invited the leaders of Israel and Lebanon to the White House for what he said would be “the first meaningful talks” between the countries since 1983.
“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,” wrote the US president.
“Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly!” he added.
Lebanon and Israel signed an agreement in 1983 saying Lebanon would formally recognise Israel, and Israel would in turn withdraw from Lebanon. The deal fell apart during Lebanon’s civil war and was formally rescinded a year later.
A Hezbollah official said the ceasefire was a result of Iran’s negotiations with Washington, in which Iran had insisted Lebanon be included in its own ceasefire, and came about through efforts by mediator Pakistan, who are vying to arrange the second round of US-Iran talks within the coming days.