Washington / Beirut: On Thursday, US President Donald Trump declared that leaders from Israel and Lebanon have reached an agreement to establish a 10-day ceasefire, a crucial step towards calming the escalating tensions in the region.
The ceasefire is scheduled to commence at 5 p.m. EST (2100 GMT). Though Trump’s initial announcement on Truth Social did not mention an exact start date, a US official later verified that the truce begins the same day.
This announcement follows multiple high-stakes diplomatic discussions. Trump stated that he enjoyed “excellent conversations” with both Benjamin Netanyahu and Joseph Aoun, who consented to the temporary cessation of hostilities to foster peace.
To facilitate this ceasefire, Trump has designated senior US officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine, to collaborate closely with both parties.
In a related development, Hezbollah's senior member Hassan Fadlallah mentioned that the group was notified by Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon about a potential one-week ceasefire starting Thursday evening. He cautioned that Hezbollah’s commitment hinges on Israel ceasing all hostilities.
The conflict's intensity surged on March 2 when Hezbollah initiated attacks in support of Iran, leading to a robust Israeli military counteraction in Lebanon. Since then, Lebanese authorities have reported over 2,100 deaths and more than 1.2 million individuals displaced.
Israeli officials reported that Hezbollah's assaults have resulted in the deaths of two civilians and 13 soldiers.
Despite the establishment of this ceasefire, an Israeli security authority confirmed that there are no intentions to withdraw troops from southern Lebanon during this truce.
In a separate announcement, Trump suggested inviting Netanyahu and Aoun to the White House for additional discussions aimed at securing a long-term peace arrangement. Notably, Israel and Lebanon have been in a formal state of war since 1948.
This forthcoming ceasefire presents a vital opportunity to alleviate tensions and possibly pave the way for a lasting diplomatic solution in the region embroiled in conflict.
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