President Donald Trump announced that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ten-day ceasefire Thursday after Secretary of State Marco Rubio mediated negotiations between the two nations.
Trump said on Truth Social that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun agreed to a temporary ceasefire that would begin at 5:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday. Ambassadors for the two countries met for the first time in more than 34 years on Tuesday for negotiations mediated by Rubio in Washington, D.C.
“I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel,” Trump said. “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. 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! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
The conflict in Lebanon began on March 2 when Iran-backed Hezbollah began striking Israel, according to reporting by Reuters.
Israel continued to target Lebanon after Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran on April 7, jeopardizing the fragile truce between the two warring nations. Not all parties in the conflict agreed to the conditions of the ceasefire.
“Hezbollah was informed that it is part of the ceasefire – so we abided by it, but Israel as usual has violated it and committed massacres all across Lebanon,” senior Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim al-Moussawi, told Reuters.
“The only solution to the situation Lebanon is currently experiencing is to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, followed by direct negotiations between them,” Aoun said in an official meeting that was reported in a press release from the government of Lebanon on April 9.
The IDF confirmed that its goal was to control all territory south of the Litani River in a press release on April 5.
“The entire area south of the Litani has become an operational zone in which Northern Command soldiers and the Air Force are systematically targeting Hezbollah operatives until it is ensured that the entire area up to the Litani River is free of threats to Israel and our northern communities,” the IDF stated in the press release.
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