On Thursday, President Donald Trump declared a ten-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, hailing it as an initial move toward a permanent peace between the two nations. He also revealed that he has extended an invitation to the leaders of both countries for further discussions at the White House. This announcement, delivered through Trump’s Truth Social platform, follows high-level talks that took place in Washington earlier this week. The ceasefire is set to commence today at 5 PM EST. President Trump shared that the agreement came about after his personal conversations with Israeli and Lebanese leaders, and remarked on the historic nature of this diplomatic meeting, the first in 34 years.

“I just concluded excellent conversations with the esteemed President Joseph Aoun of Lebanon and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu of Israel,” Trump wrote. “These leaders have concurred that to achieve peace between their countries, they will initiate a ten-day ceasefire starting at 5 PM EST.” Trump further explained that his administration has appointed a senior delegation to oversee the transition from a temporary truce to a lasting agreement. This team comprises Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan ‘Razin’ Caine. The President added, “I’ve had the honor of resolving nine conflicts worldwide, and this will be my tenth, so let’s make it happen!”

The ceasefire occurs amid escalating regional tensions and is the culmination of months of diplomatic efforts by the White House. Although the ten-day period is brief, it aims to create space for formal negotiations on long-term peace. The ongoing military conflict between Lebanon and Israel has become a significant obstacle in Trump’s efforts to end the war in Iran. The Israeli-US military strikes on Iran on March 2 further strained relationships in the region. Meanwhile, Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon, has been actively involved in the conflict by launching missile attacks on Israel.

Israel’s retaliation in Lebanon has resulted in a catastrophic death toll, with estimates exceeding 2,000 Lebanese casualties. More than one million people have also been forced to flee their homes. Earlier this month, Israeli defense minister Israel Katz said the nation was planning to set up a security zone on Lebanese territory, which would prevent thousands from returning to their homes. In an effort to broker peace, several Lebanese and Israeli officials met at the US Department of State headquarters in Washington, DC, on Tuesday. Rubio hosted the meeting, which included Lebanese Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh, Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter and US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa.

‘We discovered today that we’re on the same side of the equation, and that’s the most positive thing we could have come away with,’ Leiter said after the meeting. He added that the discussion focused on a ‘clearly delineated border’ between Israel and Lebanon. ‘The security of our civilians is not up for negotiation. This was a victory for sanity, for responsibility and for peace,’ Leiter said. Leiter also declared that both nations were ‘united in liberating Lebanon’ from Hezbollah.

Lebanon’s Ambassador to the US, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, called the meeting ‘productive’ while Rubio noted that the talks are a ‘process.’ Rubio added: ‘It’s a historic gathering that we hope to build on.’ Instability between Lebanon and Israel has contributed to the enduring conflict in the region. Lebanon and Israel have engaged in peace negotiations in 1983 and 1993. However, following the Hamas-led attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, the conflict drastically escalated. A fragile cease-fire was implemented at the end of 2024, but was never fully enforced.