CAIRO (AP) — Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, President Donald Trump announced Thursday, two days after the countries held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades in Washington.
The truce that Trump said was scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Eastern follows more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.
Lebanon has insisted on a ceasefire to stop the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah before engaging in more talks, while vowing to commit to disarming the group.
The president also invited the leaders of Israel and Lebanon to the White House for what he said would be “the first meaningful talks" between the countries since 1983.
“Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Lebanon and Israel signed an agreement in 1983 saying Lebanon would formally recognize Israel, and Israel would withdraw from Lebanon. The deal fell apart during Lebanon’s civil war and was formally rescinded a year later.
Trump said the pause in fighting followed “excellent” conversations with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.