President Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon set to begin Thursday at 5 p.m. EST, the result of an unusually direct intervention that caught diplomats and security officials off-guard on both sides.
The agreement, which Trump said would pave the way for the first substantive talks between the two nations since 1983, came after the president personally called Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Wednesday evening. Trump declared on Truth Social that he had secured commitments from both Aoun and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt hostilities.
The timing reveals the pressure Trump applied. Netanyahu's security cabinet was already convening when Trump's announcement went live, with ministers learning of the ceasefire deal through the social media post rather than through formal Israeli channels. One senior Israeli official characterized the move bluntly: "Trump pushed this ceasefire through."
The Lebanese government had been equally surprised. After Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted a rare meeting between Israeli and Lebanese diplomats on Tuesday, officials in Beirut signaled skepticism about rapid progress. When Rubio spoke with Aoun on Thursday morning, the Lebanese leader reportedly told him that a direct call with Netanyahu would be premature. Within hours, Trump himself phoned Aoun, and the ceasefire was announced.
What makes the maneuver politically delicate is the broader context of U.S. negotiations with Iran. The administration has been simultaneously pursuing a potential peace deal with Tehran while pressing for a halt to Israel's military campaign against Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant group. Iran has publicly objected to Israeli strikes in Lebanon, claiming they violate the terms of a ceasefire the U.S. agreed to with Tehran. Washington and Tel Aviv dispute that interpretation, but the friction highlights how entangled the regional negotiations have become.
Trump said he has directed Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Rubio, along with Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Razin' Caine, to work with both countries toward a lasting peace agreement. He also invited Aoun and Netanyahu to the White House for talks.
U.S. officials indicated the announcement was part of a broader effort to create momentum in the Iran talks, which sources say have registered progress over the past two days. Lebanon, as a key node in the regional power structure, figures prominently in those negotiations.
The ceasefire itself is fragile and untested. Neither side had formally confirmed the agreement hours before the announced start time, and both remain wary of the other's intentions. Israeli security officials faced pressure from Trump's move, while Lebanese leaders scrambled to understand what commitments they had actually made.
Author James Rodriguez: "Trump steamrolled this deal through via social media before anyone could object, which is either genius dealmaking or a reckless gamble that could blow up in hours."
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