What We Know About the Ceasefire Between Lebanon and Israel

US President Donald Trump Announces Ceasefire

US President Donald Trump has announced that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, which took effect from 17:00 EST (21:00 GMT; midnight local time) on 16 April.

Trump’s statement did not initially mention Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group in Lebanon, which has been exchanging fire with Israel for the past six weeks. However, in a later post on Truth Social, Trump urged the group to abide by the ceasefire, stating, “I hope Hezbollah acts nicely and well during this important period of time.”

Following the announcement, the US president also invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to the White House for further talks.

Here is what we know about the truce.

Key Terms of the Agreement

The terms of the deal specify that the ceasefire is set to last 10 days, with the possibility of it being “extended by mutual agreement” if negotiations show signs of progress.

According to further details provided by the US State Department:

Israel retains its “right to take all necessary measures in self-defence, at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.”
Lebanon must take “meaningful steps” to prevent Hezbollah and all other “rogue non-state armed groups” from carrying out attacks against Israeli targets.
Those involved recognise that Lebanon’s security forces have exclusive responsibility for Lebanon’s security.
Israel and Lebanon requested that the US continues to facilitate further direct talks with the objective of “resolving all remaining issues.”

The statement added that the truce was a “gesture of goodwill” by Israel intended to enable “good-faith negotiations towards a permanent security and peace agreement” between the two parties.

Reactions from Various Sides

Leaders of both Israel and Lebanon have welcomed the truce, with Netanyahu calling it an “opportunity to make a historic peace agreement.”

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam expressed hope that the agreement would allow those displaced by the conflict to return to their homes.

Hezbollah has also signalled a willingness to participate in the ceasefire, but stated it must include “a comprehensive halt to attacks” across Lebanon and “no freedom of movement for Israeli forces.” The Iran-backed group, while deeply embedded in Lebanon, is not part of the Lebanese government’s security apparatus.

Iran’s foreign ministry welcomed the ceasefire, with spokesperson Esmail Baghaei expressing his “solidarity” with Lebanon. Tehran had previously stated that its own two-week ceasefire with the US should include Lebanon, a claim disputed by the US and Israel.

UN Secretary General António Guterres commended the US role in facilitating the ceasefire and urged all parties to “fully respect” and “comply with international law at all times.”

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen called the deal a “relief,” emphasizing that Europe will continue to “call for the full respect of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas added that the ceasefire must be used to “step back from the violence” and create space for talks for “a more lasting peace.”

Israel’s Stance on a Buffer Zone

Despite the agreement, Netanyahu stated that Israeli troops would maintain a 10km-deep (6.2 mile) “security zone” in southern Lebanon, asserting: “We are there, and we are not leaving.” He added that the buffer zone was necessary to “block the danger of invasion.”

Israel re-entered southern Lebanon after strikes by Hezbollah in early March, establishing a buffer zone it deemed essential to protect communities in northern Israel. A previous ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah, which ended 13 months of conflict, still saw near-daily cross-border strikes.

Negotiation Process and Surprises

Israel and Lebanon held rare direct talks in Washington earlier this week, aimed at de-escalating the conflict, which has involved deadly air strikes on parts of Beirut and fighting in southern Lebanon.

Trump’s announcement indicated the deal resulted from “excellent conversations” with Aoun and Netanyahu, but did not specify if Hezbollah was directly involved in the talks. Trump later urged Hezbollah to “act nicely and well during this important period of time” on social media.

While welcoming the truce, Netanyahu also made it clear that he was making few concessions on the ground. He noted that Hezbollah had insisted on two conditions: the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, and a principle of “quiet for quiet.”

However, the ceasefire announcement reportedly took Israel by surprise, even within the government’s own security cabinet. A respected Israeli news outlet reported Netanyahu convening a security cabinet meeting with just five minutes’ notice shortly before the announcement. Leaks from that meeting suggested ministers were not given a vote on the ceasefire.

Context with the Iran Situation

When a ceasefire involving Iran was announced, there were conflicting reports regarding Lebanon’s inclusion. Pakistani officials, who helped negotiate the deal, and Iranian officials stated it was included, while Israel, and later US President Donald Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt, said Lebanon was not part of that agreement.

Israel launched strikes on Lebanon on 2 March in response to actions by Hezbollah. This followed US and Israeli strikes on Iran, which prompted responses from Tehran against US allies in the Gulf, and from groups aligned with Iran, including the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

Israel and Hezbollah have continued to exchange fire since then, despite pleas from Lebanon’s Prime Minister for both sides to cease hostilities.

According to Lebanon’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, more than 2,100 people have been killed and 7,000 others wounded in Israel’s attacks on Lebanon since 2 March. This figure includes at least 260 women and 172 children. The ministry also reports 91 health professionals killed and 208 wounded, with over 120 Israeli attacks recorded on ambulances and medical facilities. BBC Verify analysis found more than 1,400 buildings in Lebanon had also been destroyed.

In the same period, Hezbollah attacks have killed two civilians in Israel, while 13 Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat in Lebanon, according to Israeli authorities.

On Thursday, the Israeli military destroyed the last bridge linking southern Lebanon to the rest of the country, further isolating the region and renewing fears among many Lebanese of a potential long-term occupation of some areas.

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