US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Israeli and Lebanese leaders have agreed to begin a 10-day ceasefire starting at 17 p.m. yesterday (Eastern Time, midnight in Lebanon). The Republican president said in the post on Truth Social that he had had “great conversations” withIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun"These two leaders have agreed that, to achieve peace between their countries, they will formally begin a 10-day ceasefire," he wrote, adding that he has instructed US Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine to work with the two countries to achieve a lasting peace. In response, Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz, and stock markets soared.
Lebanese Hezbollah confirmed the news but said that the truce that came into force on Thursday evening would be respected. provided that Israel completely ceases hostilities, including targeted assassinations against its members, a pro-Iranian MP told the AFP news agency on Thursday. "We will respect the ceasefire with caution (...) provided that it represents a complete cessation of hostilities against us and that Israel does not exploit it to carry out assassinations," said Hezbollah MP Ibrahim Moussaoui. After the ceasefire that ended the previous war between the two sides in November 2024, Israel had indeed continued to target members and infrastructure of the Lebanese movement.
Meanwhile the United States reiterated pressure on Iran, warning that Tehran must return to the negotiating table and accept a deal, while American forces in the Middle East remain ready to resume combat operations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made the statement, adding that Washington intends to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Speaking at the Pentagon, Hegseth stated that the United States would prefer to reach an agreement through negotiations, but warned that a more harsh alternative also exists if no agreement is reached. Later in the briefing, he made a direct appeal to the Iranian leadership, saying he hoped they would choose an agreement "for the good of their people and the world."
