Trump Announces Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire; US-Iran Talks Progressing

US President Donald Trump announced today that Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire, stating that US-Iran negotiations are moving forward rapidly. Previously, these talks had stalled due to Israel's expanded military operations in Lebanon. According to AFP, Trump posted on Truth Social that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to cancel military strikes on Beirut, and Hezbollah agreed to "cease all firing." Trump stated he had a productive call with Netanyahu, confirming that Israeli forces would not enter Beirut and those en route had turned back. Simultaneously, the US held successful talks with Hezbollah through senior representatives, agreeing to a full cessation of hostilities. Trump later added, "Negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran are continuing at a rapid pace." Before Trump's posts, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran had suspended talks with the US via intermediaries to protest Israel's offensive. However, Netanyahu expressed skepticism, warning that if Hezbollah does not stop its attacks, Israel will strike Beirut, underscoring a rift between the US and Israel. Axios reported that Trump privately called Netanyahu "crazy," blaming him for risking the collapse of US-Iran negotiations.