Israel and Lebanon Agree to 10-Day Ceasefire

US President Donald Trump announced that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, effective from 17:00 EST on 16 April. The terms of the deal specify that the ceasefire can be extended by mutual agreement if negotiations show signs of progress.

The agreement states that Israel retains its right to self-defense, while Lebanon must take meaningful steps to prevent attacks by Hezbollah and other rogue groups. The truce is seen as a gesture of goodwill by Israel to enable good-faith negotiations towards a permanent security and peace agreement.

Reactions to the Ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the truce, calling it an opportunity to make a historic peace agreement. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam hopes the agreement will allow displaced people to return to their homes. Hezbollah has signaled a willingness to participate in the ceasefire but demands a comprehensive halt to attacks across Lebanon and no freedom of movement for Israeli forces.

Iran's foreign ministry welcomed the ceasefire, with spokesperson Esmail Baghaei expressing solidarity with Lebanon. UN Secretary General António Guterres commended the US role in facilitating the ceasefire and urged all parties to respect international law. The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the deal a relief, saying Europe will continue to call for the full respect of Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Israel's Buffer Zone

Despite the agreement, Netanyahu said Israeli troops will maintain a 10km-deep security zone in southern Lebanon to block the danger of invasion. Israel re-entered southern Lebanon after strikes by Hezbollah in early March, creating a buffer zone to protect communities in northern Israel.

Negotiations and Context

The ceasefire was negotiated after rare direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington earlier this week. Trump's announcement said the deal came about after excellent conversations with Aoun and Netanyahu, but did not mention whether Hezbollah was directly involved in the talks.

The conflict between Israel and Lebanon is linked to the war in Iran. Israel launched strikes on Lebanon on 2 March in response to strikes launched by Hezbollah, following US and Israeli strikes on Iran. The ceasefire with Iran was announced earlier, but there were mixed messages on whether Lebanon was involved.