Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior aides were reportedly taken aback when US President Donald Trump declared that Washington would not permit further Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon. According to Axios, citing two sources familiar with the discussions, Netanyahu and his advisers were “stunned” by the statement, prompting Israeli officials to seek clarification from Washington.
The development came as a 10-day ceasefire, brokered by the Trump administration, took effect between Israel and the Lebanese government. On Friday, Trump said the US had “prohibited” strikes in Lebanon, a position that alarmed Israeli leadership. Under the ceasefire agreement, Israel agreed to halt offensive operations but retained the right to take “all necessary measures in self-defense at any time against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.”
Hezbollah, the armed group that boycotted the ceasefire talks, insisted that Israel must cease all troop movements in southern Lebanon and return to positions held before the conflict escalated over a month ago. Israel launched airstrikes on Beirut and other cities in early March, expanding its “security zone” in southern Lebanon after Hezbollah fired rockets in support of Iran. Tehran has since made an end to Israeli operations in Lebanon one of the conditions for its own peace deal with the US and Israel.
The conflict has resulted in significant humanitarian consequences. Lebanese officials report that nearly 2,200 people have been killed and 1.2 million displaced since early March. The ceasefire, while a temporary pause in hostilities, leaves unresolved tensions and the potential for further escalation depending on compliance and subsequent negotiations.
