Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said that Israeli and Lebanese leaders had agreed to begin a 10-day ceasefire at 5 p.m. (2100 GMT).
Trump did not specify what day the ceasefire would start. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the ceasefire would begin on Thursday.
The Republican president said in the post on Truth Social that he held “excellent conversations” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. In a second post, he said he would be inviting the leaders to the White House for “meaningful talks” between the two countries.
“These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5 P.M. EST,” he wrote, adding that he has directed U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine to work with the two countries to achieve lasting peace.
“Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly!” he said.
(Reporting by Katharine Jackson and Bhargav Acharya; Writing by Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by Susan Heavey and Michelle Nichols)