A new diplomatic push in the Middle East is grabbing global attention after Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, set to begin at 5 P.M. EST.
According to the White House statement, the agreement follows direct conversations between Trump, Joseph Aoun, and Benjamin Netanyahu. The talks reportedly mark the first high-level meeting between Israeli and Lebanese leadership in Washington in over three decades, signaling a rare moment of direct engagement.
Trump framed the development as a major diplomatic win, calling it his “10th resolved conflict” and positioning the ceasefire as a step toward broader regional stability. Senior officials, including Marco Rubio, were also involved in facilitating the discussions.
The timing is critical.
The ceasefire comes amid ongoing clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, a conflict that has threatened to widen into a larger regional confrontation. At the same time, a separate U.S.-Iran ceasefire remains fragile and notably did not include Lebanon, leaving tensions in the area unresolved until now.
While the announcement has been welcomed as a potential cooling-off period, questions remain about how durable the agreement will be once the 10-day window ends. Short-term ceasefires in the region have historically been difficult to extend without broader political agreements.
Still, the move represents a significant shift, especially given the lack of direct diplomatic contact between Israel and Lebanon in recent decades.
For now, all eyes are on whether this temporary pause can hold and whether it opens the door to a longer-term deal in one of the world’s most volatile regions.