In a significant breakthrough, United States President Donald Trump has announced that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire. The announcement was made on social media platform Truth Social, where Trump stated that positive discussions took place between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, following which both leaders agreed to officially begin a 10-day ceasefire at 5 PM Eastern Time (2 AM Pakistan Time).
According to Trump, he will invite Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to the White House, marking the first meaningful conversation between the two leaders since 1983. Trump expressed confidence that both parties want peace and believes it will happen soon.
The development comes after the United States announced its decision to impose a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, starting from today. Trump said that Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley have been directed to work with Israel and Lebanon to achieve lasting peace.
In a separate statement, Trump claimed to have ended nine wars and believes the ceasefire in the Middle East will be his 10th success. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun thanked Trump for his efforts towards a lasting peace, saying that Lebanon hopes to see the continuation of these efforts to extinguish the fire as soon as possible.
The conflict in the Gaza Strip has resulted in the deaths of over 130 Palestinians in the past 48 hours, with more than 630 casualties in the past five days, and over 120,000 people displaced. The Presidential Office stated that Trump expressed his support for Lebanon, reiterating his commitment to fulfilling Lebanon’s request for a ceasefire.
In a previous statement, Lebanon had assured the United Kingdom that the government would ensure that arms are limited to the state. In response, the British Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, announced that the UK will provide £150 million in aid to help rebuild homes destroyed in the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon.
On the other hand, Israel has continued to attack Lebanon, targeting homes, buildings, and hospitals in various regions of the country, leaving one civilian dead. Amidst the ongoing conflict, the United States is reportedly considering a $20 billion deal with Iran to exchange uranium.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, announced on social media that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open to commercial ships during the ceasefire period. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to attend a meeting in Paris, where he will co-chair the conference with French President Emmanuel Macron.
In a separate development, opposition parties in the UK have demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Iranian officials have expressed concerns that Israel may target them, while a Pakistani ship has set sail for the Strait of Hormuz from Kuwait.
The news of the opening of the Strait of Hormuz has led to a 12% decline in the price of crude oil. The situation in the Middle East has also led to a demand for the resignation of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak by opposition parties. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Saeed Khatibzadeh, has stated that his country will not accept any temporary ceasefire.
