Israel and Lebanon to begin 10-day ceasefire within hours, Trump declares

Washington: Israel and Lebanon will enter a 10-day ceasefire within hours, US President Donald Trump has announced, in a major step towards ending the broader conflict with Iran.

Trump said he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday (US time), following talks between top diplomats in Washington earlier in the week.

“These two leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10-day CEASEFIRE,” Trump declared on social media. The truce will begin at 5pm Washington time (7am AEST).

Israel has continued to launch strikes against targets associated with Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia in Lebanon that is a listed terrorist organisation in Australia, the US and elsewhere.

There has been a ceasefire between the US, Iran and Israel since April 7, with ongoing talks to end the war that began on February 28. But the ceasefire did not include Lebanon.

Iranian initially demanded the ceasefire apply to Israel’s attacks in Lebanon, but it participated in negotiations in Pakistan last week regardless.

There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu on Trump’s ceasefire announcement. But less than 24 hours earlier, he said Israeli forces were continuing to strike Hezbollah and were about to conquer Bint Jbeil, a municipality in the country’s south near the Israeli border.

He said he had also instructed the Israeli Defence Forces to “continue thickening the security zone” between the two countries.

“Our American friends are constantly updating us on the contacts with Iran,” Netanyahu said. Our goals are identical. In anticipation of the possibility that the fighting will resume, we are prepared for any scenario.”