US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern time, marking a potential breakthrough in the conflict that has escalated alongside the broader US-Iran war.
The announcement came after what Trump described as phone conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. The ceasefire represents the first direct diplomatic engagement between the two countries' leaders in over three decades.
These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5 P.M. EST
Donald Trump, US President — Truth Social
Trump's statement notably omitted any mention of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group that has been fighting Israeli forces in southern Lebanon. A senior Hezbollah lawmaker said the group had been briefed on the potential ceasefire by Iran's ambassador to Beirut, but indicated compliance would depend on Israel halting all hostilities.
The ceasefire announcement comes amid intensified fighting in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces have destroyed the last remaining bridge over the Litani River, effectively severing the country's south from the rest of Lebanon. More than 2,100 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon since the conflict began, according to Lebanese authorities.
Al Jazeera frames the announcement factually while emphasizing the absence of Hezbollah from the negotiations, highlighting the group's conditional stance on compliance. The outlet's perspective reflects Qatar's role as a regional mediator, presenting the development as potentially significant but noting the implementation challenges given the exclusion of key militant actors.