A ten-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect Thursday at midnight local time, temporarily ending the fighting between Israeli forces and Lebanon (Hezbollah did not participate in the negotiation).
Announced by Trump after direct talks with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the agreement – mediated by the United States – aims to create conditions for lasting peace negotiations between the two countries, historically at war since 1948.
As reported by Reuters, thousands of displaced people have begun returning to southern Lebanon amid rubble and destruction, while the agreement removes a key obstacle to stabilizing the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
The agreement recognizes Israel’s right to self-defense but prohibits offensive operations, commits Lebanon to preventing Hezbollah attacks, and opens the door to direct talks in Washington.
However, the truce appears extremely fragile: Netanyahu confirmed that Israeli troops will remain in an “expanded security zone” south of the Litani River, Hezbollah conditioned compliance on Israeli behavior, and the Lebanese army reported violations within the first hours.
The announcement
President Trump announced the agreement Thursday via Truth Social, stating that the ceasefire would begin at 5 p.m. New York time (midnight in Lebanon).
As reported by CNBC, Trump described the talks with Netanyahu and Aoun as “excellent” and invited the two leaders to the White House for “the first meaningful talks between Israel and Lebanon since 1983.”
The U.S. State Department issued a joint statement agreed upon by both parties, reports NBC, committing Israel and Lebanon to “good faith direct negotiations, facilitated by the United States, with the goal of a comprehensive agreement ensuring security, stability, and lasting peace.”
The initial ten-day ceasefire may be extended by mutual agreement if progress is made in negotiations and Lebanon demonstrates it exercises sovereignty.
Israel retains the right to “take all necessary measures for self-defense” against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks but commits not to conduct “offensive operations” against Lebanese targets.
Lebanon, for its part, must “take significant measures” to prevent Hezbollah and other non-state armed groups from attacking Israeli targets.
As highlighted by the New York Times, the agreement was reached after the conflict in Lebanon threatened to derail the broader ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.
Positions of Israel and the Lebanese government
Netanyahu confirmed the agreement but immediately clarified that Israeli forces will not withdraw from southern Lebanon.
As the New York Times writes, Netanyahu spoke of an “expanded security zone” between the Lebanese Mediterranean coast and the Syrian border, south of the Litani River, stating in a video: “We are here. We are not leaving.”
The Israeli leader welcomed the pause “to try to advance towards the agreement” discussed in Washington, reiterating the demand for Hezbollah disarmament and rejecting any full withdrawal.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam hailed the agreement as a “result” pursued “from the first day of the war,” expressing condolences to the families of the victims and thanking the United States, France, EU, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and Jordan, as reported by NBC. President Joseph Aoun participated in the decisive calls with Trump.
Israel warned residents of southern Lebanon not to move south of the Litani for security reasons and destroyed the last bridge over the river shortly before the truce, as reported by CNN.
Hezbollah’s response
Hezbollah, not directly part of the government negotiations, reacted cautiously.
As reported by NBC, a senior group official, Bilal Lakkiss, stated that the ceasefire is “essential and urgently needed,” but rejected Israel’s demand for disarmament unless included in a “broader national security vision.”
Lakkiss attributed the truce to the “resilience of the resistance,” stating that “the status of weapons in Lebanon has gained greater legitimacy” and that Hezbollah will respect the agreement only if Israel does the same.
The group emphasized that the presence of Israeli troops on Lebanese territory gives Lebanon “the right to resist.” As Reuters writes, Hezbollah declared that any ceasefire must be “complete across all Lebanese territory” and not allow “freedom of movement” to the Israeli army.
A Hezbollah parliamentarian, Hassan Fadlallah, attributed the agreement to “Iranian diplomatic efforts” and assured that the group will respect the truce as long as Israel maintains its commitment.
The return of displaced people and devastation on the ground
Hours after the truce took effect, thousands of displaced families flooded the highway toward southern Lebanon.
As the New York Times observes, scenes of relief mingled with destruction: in villages like Jibsheet and southern suburbs of Beirut such as Dahiyeh and Haret Hreik, residents found buildings razed to the ground, rubble, and destroyed infrastructure.
Reuters describes hills of rubble in Dahiyeh and cars crossing a makeshift crossing over the Litani, after Israel had destroyed all the bridges.
However, the Lebanese army urged citizens not to return immediately due to intermittent shelling reported in the first hours of the ceasefire.
Violations
Despite the announcement, the truce showed cracks from the first hours. The Lebanese army reported “several Israeli violations,” including intermittent shelling on southern villages and artillery fire, as reported by The Hill.
As noted by the Guardian, in the last hours before the truce Israel struck an ambulance in Tebnine and razed a village.
Internal political criticism in Israel
The announcement sparked immediate divisions in Israel. As the New York Times observes, Avigdor Liberman called the ceasefire a “betrayal” of northern residents, while Yair Lapid spoke of “promises broken by reality.”
Even within Netanyahu’s Likud, veiled criticisms arose regarding the Lebanese government’s ability to control Hezbollah.
Moshe Davidovich, head of a group of border villages, wrote on social media: “Agreements are signed by bureaucrats in Washington, but we pay the price with blood, destroyed homes, and devastated communities.”
International reactions
The international community welcomed the agreement with relief but also skepticism. French President Emmanuel Macron, excluded from the talks, expressed “full support” for the ten-day truce but warned it could already be “undermined by continued military operations,” calling on Hezbollah to give up arms and Israel to respect Lebanese sovereignty, as reported by BBC.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul thanked the U.S. and emphasized the need for long-term agreements for Hezbollah disarmament and border security.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed Trump’s “bold diplomatic efforts.”
Tom Barrack, U.S. envoy for Syria and Turkey, called the truce “brilliant” for stopping “senseless killings,” while admitting that “everyone has been equally unreliable.”
Future prospects
The ceasefire in Lebanon is closely linked to the broader truce between the U.S., Israel, and Iran.
Iran had insisted that any agreement also include Lebanon. Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, had begun launching rockets after the U.S.-Israel attack on Iran on February 28.
Trump expressed hope that the agreement would lead to a “historic peace deal” and directed Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Chief of Staff Dan Caine to work toward lasting peace.
However, as BBC points out, the truce remains “very fragile,” more so than the U.S.-Iran one, because the roots of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah run deep in decades of hostility.
The challenges remain enormous: Israel demands the complete disarmament of Hezbollah, Lebanon demands the total withdrawal of Israeli troops. As Reuters concludes, the outcome will depend on the ability to turn this ten-day pause into a real negotiation process, as leaders prepare for talks at the White House.
