Shortly after the Israeli leadership ordered military operations targeting Beirut's southern districts and pledged to intensify its campaign against Hezbollah, the US President stepped in with an announcement that appeared to ease tensions, at least temporarily.
He stated that both sides had agreed to halt active combat for the time being.
'I had a very productive call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu of Israel, and there will be no troops going to Beirut,' Donald Trump stated on his social platform, adding that military units advancing towards Lebanon's capital city had been instructed to withdraw.
Trump's Intervention Helps Ease Immediate Tensions
The American leader also claimed that Hezbollah had agreed to suspend hostilities through diplomatic communication. 'Likewise - 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,' he noted.
Despite the announcement, questions remain over whether the ceasefire can endure in the long run. For years, Lebanon has found itself at the centre of wider regional rivalries. The latest escalation began after a joint US-Israeli military strike targeting Iranian assets.
Beirut Residents Continue to Face Uncertainty
Since then, instability has intensified across southern Lebanon, prompting thousands of families living on Beirut's southern outskirts to flee following Israeli evacuation warnings. Against that backdrop, the diplomatic intervention by the US President carried significant importance.
According to Israeli media reports, planned strikes across Beirut were postponed following direct requests from Washington. Regional outlets reported that the United States urged Israel to pause military operations to create space for a diplomatic arrangement, despite earlier indications that Israeli plans had been coordinated with American officials.
Core Disputes Remain Unresolved
Even with the temporary pause in fighting, the fundamental ideological and territorial disagreements remain unresolved. The current Israeli government insists that Hezbollah's military presence near its northern border is unacceptable. Hezbollah, meanwhile, continues to position itself as a key part of an Iranian-backed regional alliance.
The growing confrontation has also strained diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran. Iranian media reported that Tehran suspended active talks with the United States in response to the military campaign in Lebanon, arguing that the operations violated the existing ceasefire framework.
Mixed Signals Surround Iran Negotiations
At the same time, the American President has offered conflicting assessments of diplomacy with Iran. Shortly before announcing the apparent breakthrough between Israel and Hezbollah, he said he had received no prior indication regarding Iran's diplomatic position.
The Republican leader also expressed little concern about the possibility of negotiations collapsing, stating that he would be content to wait. However, minutes later, he appeared to shift his position once again. In a Truth Social post, he wrote, 'Talks are continuing, at a rapid pace, with the Islamic Republic of Iran.'
(Inputs From ANI)