Israel, Lebanon 10-day cease-fire begins after Trump hails historic day
The 10-day cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon appeared to hold Friday – hours after President Trump branded the truce a historic day for Lebanon. Gunshots were fired in celebration in Beirut amid a cacophony of noise, while those displaced following Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah in the south of the country returned to their homes. Revelers took to the streets – with some waving Hezbollah’s yellow flag and others carrying portraits of Hassan Nasrallah – the terror group’s leader who was killed by Israel in 2024. The cease-fire came into force at midnight local time after the Israeli military hit 380 Hezbollah targets – including command centers and rocket launchers – in a single day.The deal was struck following a call between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Lebanese counterpart Joseph Aoun Thursday.“May have been a historic day for Lebanon.Good things are happening!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.There was a flurry of diplomatic activity in the build-up to the deal being struck.
Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and he agreed to the pause, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Aoun.Then, President Trump held a call with both leaders to secure the agreement.
Israeli and Lebanese officials met in Washington D.C.for the first time in 34 years — just two days before the deal was reached.Israel and Lebanon have been ordered to engage in “good faith direct negotiations, facilitated by the United States, with the objective of achieving a comprehensive agreement that ensures lasting security, stability, and peace between the two countries,” according to the State Department.”A White House official claimed Lebanon acknowledged Hezbollah is a problem for both Beirut and Israel, NBC News reported.But, it still remains unclear if Israel will stop targeting Hezbollah during the cease-fire. Netanyahu said troops won’t be withdrawn from southern Lebanon.
He confirmed a security zone will extend si...