US President Donald Trump announces that the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been extended by three weeks.
Trump makes the announcement after participating in the second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon at the White House.
Two days after the first round of talks was held on April 14, the US announced a ten-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the latter of which dragged Lebanon into the Iran war by firing rockets at Israel on March 2.
Trump declares the ceasefire extension in a statement posted to his Truth Social account while the meeting is still ongoing.
“The meeting went very well!” Trump writes in a post.
“The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah,” he says, without elaborating.
“The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will be extended by THREE WEEKS,” he says.
“I look forward in the near future to hosting the Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, and the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun,” Trump says, without specifying if he plans to meet with the two leaders together.
After extending the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks, US President Donald Trump says Israel reserves the right to strike Lebanese targets in self-defense.
“Israel is going to have to defend itself if they are shot at… but they’re going to do it carefully, and they’ll be surgical,” Trump tells reporters in the Oval Office after presiding over the second round of ambassador-level negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.
The remarks indicate a softened approach from Trump after he declared last week that Israel was “PROHIBITED” from bombing Lebanon.
The Truth Social warning was said to have sparked alarm in Washington, leading a White House official to clarify to reporters that the ceasefire still allows Israel to take action against perceived threats.
US President Donald Trump says Iran will have to stop funding Hezbollah in order to secure a permanent ceasefire deal with the US.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office after presiding over the second round of ambassador-level negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, Trump is asked whether Iran must stop funding Hezbollah to reach a deal with the US.
“Yes, that is a must,” Trump responds.
Recent talks with Iran have largely focused on the nuclear issue, as Tehran has pushed back on demands that deals include an end to its support for proxies in the region.
Asked whether he thinks Israel and Lebanon can reach a peace deal this year, Trump responds, “there’s a great chance.”
The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors thank US President Donald Trump for hosting the second round of talks between their countries, during which they agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks.
Trump asks the two ambassadors to offer a few words to reporters in the Oval Office after they concluded the private portion of their meeting.
After thanking Trump, Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter declares, “Israel wants peace with Lebanon and Israel wants security for its citizens.”
“We’re united with the Lebanese government in wanting to rid the country of this malign influence called Hezbollah,” he says.
Lebanese Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh also thanks Trump but refrains from offering similar comments about the potential for peace with Israel.
“Thank you for your leadership, for making sure to be presiding over this historic moment,” Hamadeh says.
“With your support, we can make Lebanon great again,” she adds, causing Trump to smile.
“Both are victimized by the same terrorist organization,” Rubio says of Hezbollah. “That threat needs to be eliminated.”
Trump says Netanyahu and Lebanese president to meet in DC ‘over the next couple weeks’
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