Trump Says Israel and Hezbollah Agree to Halt Fighting as Iran Talks Continue

Washington, D.C. -US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement had agreed to cease hostilities, signaling a potential de-escalation in one of the Middle East’s most volatile conflicts. He also indicated that diplomatic contacts with Iran were progressing rapidly despite reports that negotiations had recently been jeopardized by Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon.

In a series of posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he had held a “very productive” conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and had also communicated indirectly with Hezbollah through senior intermediaries.

According to Trump, Netanyahu assured him that Israel would not send troops into Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold that had been threatened with military action amid escalating tensions.

“I had a very productive call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, and there will be no troops going to Beirut, and any troops that are on their way have already been turned back,” Trump wrote.

He added that Hezbollah had likewise agreed to halt attacks against Israel.

“Through highly placed representatives, I had a very good call with Hezbollah, and they agreed that all shooting will stop  that Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel,” Trump said.

Iran Talks Back on Track

Trump’s remarks came shortly after Iran’s state-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported that Tehran had suspended communications with mediators involved in ongoing diplomatic efforts. The reported suspension was said to be a response to Israel’s expanding military operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah, one of Iran’s closest regional allies.

However, Trump suggested that diplomatic contacts with Tehran remained active.

“Talks are continuing, at a rapid pace, with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he wrote in a separate social media post. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

The comments appeared to contrast with earlier statements made by Trump during interviews with US media outlets, where he expressed frustration with the pace and effectiveness of negotiations.

Speaking to CNBC, Trump said he was unconcerned about the possibility of the talks collapsing.

“If they’re over, they’re over,” he said. “Frankly, I thought they started to get very boring.”

In a separate interview with NBC News, Trump said he had not been informed that Iran had suspended negotiations but suggested that reducing public discussion about the talks might be beneficial.

“I think we’ve been talking too much, if you want to know the truth,” Trump said. “I think going silent would be very good, and that could be for a long time.”

Netanyahu Reaffirms Israel’s Position

Despite Trump’s optimistic assessment, Netanyahu later emphasized that Israel remained prepared to take military action if Hezbollah continued attacks on Israeli territory.

According to a statement released by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu told Trump that Israel’s restraint depended on Hezbollah’s behavior.

“I spoke this evening with President Trump and told him that if Hezbollah does not cease attacking our towns and our citizens, Israel will strike terrorist targets in Beirut,” Netanyahu said.

“Our position on this remains unchanged. At the same time, the Israel Defense Forces will continue to operate as planned in southern Lebanon.”

His remarks underscored the fragile nature of any potential ceasefire and highlighted the significant gap that may still exist between public diplomatic announcements and military realities on the ground.

Lebanese Confirmation of Ceasefire Proposal

Further support for Trump’s claims came from the Lebanese Embassy in Washington, which released a statement later carried by the Lebanese Presidency.

According to the statement, Hezbollah had accepted a US-backed proposal calling for a “mutual cessation of attacks” between Israel and Hezbollah.

The proposal reportedly envisions a phased implementation process. The first stage would involve a halt to Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs and a corresponding suspension of Hezbollah attacks. Subsequent stages would seek to expand the arrangement into a broader nationwide ceasefire covering the entire Lebanese-Israeli front.

Diplomatic observers cautioned, however, that numerous ceasefire efforts in the region have previously collapsed due to violations, misunderstandings, or renewed military escalations.

Regional Implications

Any sustained halt in fighting would represent a significant development in the broader regional crisis involving Israel, Hezbollah, and Iran. Since the outbreak of hostilities, concerns have grown that clashes along the Lebanese border could evolve into a wider regional war involving multiple state and non-state actors.

The apparent willingness of both Israel and Hezbollah to consider a cessation of attacks may create an opening for renewed diplomatic engagement. At the same time, continued Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon and ongoing tensions surrounding Iran suggest that the situation remains highly fluid.

Whether the reported understandings can be translated into a durable ceasefire will likely depend on developments on the ground in the coming days and the success of ongoing diplomatic efforts involving the United States, Lebanon, Israel, and Iran.

With agency reports.

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