Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a ceasefire, following a trilateral meeting organized by the United States earlier this week. The U.S. State Department issued a statement announcing the agreement. This development comes after U.S. President Donald Trump stated he engaged in discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and representatives from Hezbollah on Monday. Both parties agreed to halt hostilities.
Despite this agreement, tensions were reported to have persisted into Monday evening. The Israeli military claimed to have intercepted two projectiles launched from Lebanon into northern Israel. Concurrently, the Associated Press mentioned that Israel conducted strikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs before President Trump’s statement on Monday.
The ceasefire depends on the cessation of Hizbollah’s attacks and the withdrawal of their forces from the South Litani Sector. These conditions were highlighted in a Wednesday release from the State Department.
Essential Details
The joint statement by the involved governments emphasized their commitment to restoring stability and improving security arrangements within Lebanon. They emphasized that future relations between Israel and Lebanon should reflect each nation’s sovereign decisions.
This ceasefire initiative might reflect a diplomatic achievement for the Trump administration. This administration has aimed to combine military pressure with diplomatic negotiations to avoid a broader conflict in the region.
In a post on Truth Social, President Trump shared, “I had a conversation with Bibi Netanyahu today, asking him not to initiate a major raid of Beirut, Lebanon. He turned his troops around. Thank you, Bibi! I also talked with representatives of the Hezbollah leaders, and they agreed to stop firing at Israel, and its soldiers. Likewise, Israel agreed to stop firing at them. Let’s see how long that lasts — hopefully for eternity! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
The State Department’s release also noted that all parties condemned Iran’s attacks and activities that destabilize the Middle East, highlighting proxy support and other acts of aggression. The previous ceasefire, according to the AP, had been established since mid-April.
This is an evolving story and will be updated with new information as it becomes available.
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