A 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel came into effect on Thursday, while Donald Trump said the next round of U.S.-Iran talks could take place over the weekend, raising hopes the war may be nearing an end.
Trump added that Iran had proposed refraining from possessing nuclear weapons for more than 20 years, an issue that had stalled negotiations in Islamabad last weekend.
If the Lebanon ceasefire clears the way for a broader peace deal with Iran, it would be a significant win for the Trump administration, which has struggled so far to reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz and block Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon.
The Lebanese Army said early on Friday that Israel committed violations of the ceasefire after it took effect, including the intermittent shelling of several southern Lebanese villages.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which had said earlier that its forces remained deployed in the area. In a post on X, Arabic-language military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the deployment was in response to what he described as continued Hezbollah militant activity.
Hezbollah released a lengthy statement detailing what it described as its military operations against Israel throughout Thursday, which showed that its last attack came at 11:50 p.m. local time, 10 minutes before the ceasefire took effect.
Trump later issued a social media post urging Hezbollah to respect the ceasefire.
Further Israel-Lebanon Talks Planned
Donald Trump said the United States has a strong chance of securing a deal with Iran, adding it could ease oil prices, inflation and nuclear risks. He indicated the current ceasefire may not need extending, citing Tehran’s willingness to negotiate.
Trump said he had “excellent” talks with Benjamin Netanyahu and Joseph Aoun, and may host them at the White House soon, while directing officials to pursue a broader peace. Iran welcomed the Lebanon ceasefire as part of a U.S.-mediated understanding.
Hardliners in Israel, including members of Netanyahu’s Likud party, criticised the deal, with one dismissing the idea of a Lebanese state as a “fiction.”
Signs Of Possible Compromise On Nuclear Issues
At last weekend’s talks, the U.S. proposed a 20-year suspension of all nuclear activity by Iran – an apparent concession from longstanding demands for a permanent ban. Tehran suggested a halt of three to five years, according to people familiar with the proposals.
Washington has pressed for any highly enriched uranium (HEU) to be removed from Iran. Tehran has demanded that international sanctions against it be lifted.
Two Iranian sources said there were signs of a compromise emerging on the HEU stockpile, with Tehran considering shipping part, but not all, of it out of the country, something it had previously ruled out.
A diplomatic source said the key Pakistani mediator, Army chief Asim Munir, arrived in Tehran on Wednesday and had made a breakthrough on “sticky issues”, although Tehran said the fate of its nuclear program had not been resolved. Trump has said the accord would open the Strait of Hormuz.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Munir’s trip had led to greater hopes for a second round of talks and an extension of the ceasefire, but said fundamental differences remain over the nuclear program.
(With inputs from Reuters)
