Israel and Lebanon Agree to 10-Day Ceasefire

President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, set to begin at 5 p.m. Eastern Time, following talks in Washington between the two nations’ leaders.

The temporary truce comes amid ongoing fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, with Trump stating that the ceasefire aims to create conditions for lasting peace and full recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Trump said he had just completed “excellent conversations” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, and that he would be inviting both leaders to the White House for what he described as the first meaningful talks between Israel and Lebanon since 1983.

The U.S. State Department issued a statement later Thursday, agreed to by the governments of Israel and Lebanon, saying the two countries will work to establish genuine security along their shared border while preserving Israel’s inherent right to self-defense.