Lebanese soldiers check a destroyed bridge that was hit in an Israeli airstrike in near the coastal city of Tyre in southern Lebanon on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, President Donald Trump announced Thursday. (Mohammed Zaatari/AP)
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire and that it will begin at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday.
“I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “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.”
Israel launched attacks in Lebanon about six weeks ago, targeting Iran-backed militia and political group Hezbollah, which is not party to the Lebanon-Israel talks. More than a million Lebanese have been displaced during the fighting, the UN Refugee Agency reported.
The president added he has directed Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to work with Israel and Lebanon to achieve a “lasting peace.”
Trump added in a second post on Truth Social that he is inviting Netanyahu and Aoun to the White House.
The U.S. agreed to a two-week ceasefire last week with Iran, which Pakistan helped mediate.
A U.S. maritime blockade targeting Iranian ports took effect Monday. Trump is applying severe economic pressure on Iran, which has largely restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since the war began in late February.
