A ten-day ceasefire deal agreed between Lebanon and Israel has taken effect, as US President Donald Trump said he was trying to set up the first-ever face-to-face meeting between the leaders of the two countries.
Beirut residents, however, voiced cautious optimism, noting a lack of trust in Israel, which has breached the previous ceasefire agreed in 2024 almost everyday.
Several Israeli violations, including the shelling of villages in southern Lebanon, have been recorded since the ceasefire took effect early on Friday, according to Lebanon’s army, as cited by Anadolu Agency.
The truce, which Trump said would begin at midnight local time in Lebanon and Israel (2100 GMT), comes as Washington steps up efforts to reach a deal to end the US-Israeli war on Iran, with Tehran insisting a Lebanon truce must be part of any agreement.
Gunfire rang out in Beirut’s southern suburbs, Hezbollah’s heartland, as the ceasefire came into effect — an apparent bout of spontaneous celebration, although that could not be confirmed.
In capital Beirut, housewife Jamal Shehab, 61, applauded the truce.
“We are very happy that a ceasefire has been reached in Lebanon because we are tired of war and we want safety and peace,” she said.
Sitting at a cafe in Beirut, lawyer Tarek Bou Khalil told AFP news agency that “it’s well known Netanyahu cannot be trusted”.
“But we know that the result of the pressures of the war with Iran and the blunders of Netanyahu and the enemy army in south Lebanon forced them into a ceasefire,” he added.
The Middle East war began when the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, and Lebanon was pulled in when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on March 2.
Since then, Israeli attacks in Lebanon and the invasion of southern areas have killed more than 2,000 people and uprooted more than one million.
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Trump expects Netanyahu and Aoun to visit White House
The US leader said the deal to halt hostilities came after “excellent” phone calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
“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,” or 2100 GMT, Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
He later said he expected Netanyahu and Aoun to visit the White House “over the next four or five days”.
A top-level face-to-face meeting between the Lebanese and Israeli leadership would be a watershed moment for the region.