Israel and Lebanon Agree to Ceasefire After Months of Tensions

US President Donald Trump Announces 10-Day Ceasefire with Israel and Lebanon

A 10-day ceasefire has been announced between Israel and Lebanon, effective at 21:00 GMT on Thursday. The agreement was made public by US President Donald Trump, who described it as a “historic day”. According to the US State Department, under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel will preserve its right to take all necessary measures in self-defence while not carrying out any offensive military operations.

The statement also noted that this right can be exercised at any time against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks. The direct negotiations between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington on Tuesday did not include Hezbollah, but the group has expressed caution and vigilance regarding the ceasefire.

Lebanese politician Ali Fayyad stated that any targeting of Lebanese sites by Israeli forces would constitute a breach of the truce. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government now has the opportunity to “make a historic deal” with Beirut, while maintaining an extensive security zone up to the Syrian border.

Netanyahu emphasized that Israel’s key demand remains the disarmament of Hezbollah, which refuses to give up its arms as long as Israeli forces remain on the ground in Lebanon. Former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas expressed skepticism about Netanyahu’s framing of the deal, stating that it may be a result of coercion by President Trump.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid also criticized the ceasefire, stating that it is unlikely to lead to a permanent resolution and that Israel will not agree to Hezbollah’s request for troop withdrawal beyond its border. The terms and duration of the ceasefire remain unclear, with Lebanon’s army reporting several ceasefire violations by Israeli forces on Friday morning.

Source: Al Jazeera