WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has announced that a 10-day ceasefire has been agreed upon between Lebanon and Israel.
US President Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel on his social media platform Truth Social.
Trump said in his statement that he had a very wonderful conversation with the very esteemed President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, and the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu.
President Trump said that the two leaders have agreed that in order to achieve peace between their countries, they will officially begin a 10-day ceasefire, which will be implemented at 5 pm US time. (This time will be 2 am in Pakistan).
Referring to the talks, the US President said that on Tuesday, the two countries met for the first time in 34 years in Washington, D.C., where our Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also present.
Trump said that he had instructed Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to work with Israel and Lebanon to establish a lasting peace.
Trump said that it has been my honor to stop nine wars around the world and this will be my tenth.
In his second post, President Trump said that he is inviting Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to the White House to have the first meaningful talks between Israel and Lebanon since 1983, which is a long time.
Trump said that both sides want to see peace and I am confident that this will be possible quickly.
Earlier, Lebanon assured Britain that the Lebanese government would ensure that weapons remain limited to the state.
It should be noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said on several occasions that Hezbollah must be disarmed for a ceasefire with Lebanon. When Lebanese President Joseph Aoun assured Britain that weapons would be limited to the state, British Minister for the Middle East, Hamish Faulkner, announced £25 million in aid for the rehabilitation of people displaced by the Israeli bombing of Lebanon.
President Trump had said a few hours earlier that Lebanon and Israel would talk today. Lebanon initially said that they were not part of any such talks. Later, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun denied reports that he was going to meet with Benjamin Netanyahu.
In this situation, President Trump called his Lebanese counterpart and shared the ceasefire announcement some time later.
The Lebanese President thanked President Trump for his efforts to broker a ceasefire.
While the ceasefire efforts were ongoing, Israel continued to attack Lebanon. It targeted homes, buildings and government hospitals in various areas of southern Lebanon. One Lebanese citizen was killed in these attacks.
