The Trump administration announced Wednesday that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire, marking a significant step toward ending months of cross-border fighting that has threatened to derail broader US peace negotiations with Iran.
Under the agreement negotiated in Washington, Hezbollah must completely halt fire and evacuate all operatives from southern Lebanon. The two countries, which lack formal diplomatic ties, also committed to establishing "pilot zones" where Lebanese armed forces will have exclusive control and all non-state actors will be excluded.
The talks represent the fourth round of direct negotiations between Israeli and Lebanese diplomats since fighting erupted on March 2, when the Iran-backed militia renewed attacks against Israel. A previous ceasefire was supposed to take hold on April 17 but collapsed as both sides accused the other of violations.
Yet significant obstacles remain. Hezbollah, which has not participated in the talks, told the AFP news agency it will not accept a partial ceasefire. On Wednesday morning alone, the group claimed it targeted Israeli troops while Israeli strikes killed at least nine people in southern Lebanon. One strike hit near Tebnine's public hospital, continuing a pattern of attacks close to medical facilities that killed four people and injured 127 at another hospital days earlier.
Trump has sought to separate negotiations over Lebanon from talks aimed at resolving the broader Iran conflict, but Tehran has rejected this approach. Iran this week threatened to suspend peace talks with the US in protest over Israel's offensive in Lebanon, warning of a potential collapse in negotiations.
The US president is eager to resolve the Iran situation. Higher energy prices and economic uncertainty stemming from the conflict threaten Republican prospects in midterm elections and disrupt global commerce. Trump said Monday he had halted an imminent Israeli strike on Beirut and claimed representatives of Hezbollah had agreed to stop shooting. He also acknowledged calling Netanyahu "crazy," saying he was "a little bit perturbed" that the Lebanon campaign was complicating Iran peace efforts.
Netanyahu told CNBC on Wednesday that he and Trump share the goal of disarming Hezbollah to achieve peace between Israel and Lebanon. Analysts suggest Israel wants to inflict maximum damage on the militia before any Iran deal potentially stops its offensive.
The fragile situation deteriorated further Wednesday as Iran struck Kuwait, killing one person and damaging its airport while injuring dozens. The US military conducted strikes near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed they did not fire at Kuwait's airport and blamed destruction on failed US interceptor missiles, but the US military disputed that account, saying Iranian drones deliberately targeted the facility.
These attacks tested a shaky ceasefire between the US, Israel, and Iran. Oil prices jumped nearly 2% as the critical Strait of Hormuz remained largely closed more than three months after the war began.
The House of Representatives delivered a symbolic rebuke to Trump on Wednesday, with members backing a move to force him to seek congressional approval for the war or withdraw US forces. Legal experts question whether the resolution carries binding force.
Author James Rodriguez: "Trump is gambling that a quick win on Iran will fix his political problems, but Hezbollah's defiance and Iran's escalation suggest the ceasefire could collapse before it even takes shape."
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