US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire beginning at 5pm EST (2100 GMT), raising hopes of a pause in the parallel conflict to the wider US-Iran war — even as fierce fighting continued on the ground in southern Lebanon.
The US State Department confirmed the truce was to take effect Thursday, adding that the ceasefire period could be extended by mutual agreement if negotiations toward a permanent security and peace arrangement were still under way.
Trump said he had held “excellent” conversations with both Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the announcement, and indicated the two leaders would likely visit the White House within days.
“As of two hours from now, we have a ceasefire with Israel and Lebanon. And that’ll be great. And they’ll be meeting — probably coming to the White House — over the next four or five days,” he told reporters.
The US president said he had directed Vice-President J D Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine to work with both countries toward lasting peace. “Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly!” he wrote on Truth Social.
