Israel and Lebanon agree to 10-day ceasefire

President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day pause in fighting starting on Thursday at 5 p.m. ET, following “excellent” conversations he had with each nation’s leader.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he agreed to the ceasefire “to advance” peace efforts with Lebanon. “We have an opportunity to make a historic peace agreement with Lebanon,” he said in a video message. Netanyahu said Israeli forces will not withdraw from southern Lebanon as they observe the truce, and a leading Hezbollah official warned the group reserves the right to respond to attacks.

Israel has not been fighting with Lebanon itself, but rather with the Iranian-backed militants inside the country. Hezbollah said in a statement that any truce must apply “across all Lebanese territory and must not allow the Israeli enemy any freedom of movement.”

The Israeli and Lebanese governments agreed to the ceasefire following more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. Nearly 2,200 people in Lebanon have been killed by Israeli air strikes.

The announcement comes two days after the countries held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades in Washington. Hezbollah had opposed direct talks between Lebanon and Israel.