Trump Prohibits Israel Strikes in Lebanon as 10-Day Ceasefire Begins

Israel and Lebanon Agree to 10-Day Ceasefire Amid Trump-Led Diplomatic Push On Thursday, April 16, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a ten-day ceasefire, set to begin at midnight Israel time. The announcement came via a post on Truth Social, where Trump stated that both sides wanted to see peace and confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had committed to the truce. [3] According to Trump, the ceasefire was reached after separate phone calls with Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. While Trump expressed hope that the agreement would lead to historic White House talks between the two leaders, Aoun had previously declined a direct call from the U.S. President earlier in the week. Despite this, Trump declared the ceasefire would proceed, leaving Netanyahu with little option but to comply. [4] The agreement follows heightened tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, where Israeli forces have been engaged in sporadic clashes with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group operating in southern Lebanon. Just days before the announcement, Netanyahu had insisted that military operations against Hezbollah were ongoing, stating, “We are still fighting them. It is not over yet.” [4] Similarly, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir confirmed on Wednesday that he had approved additional war plans for Lebanon and Iran, underscoring the intensity of Israel’s position prior to the ceasefire. [4] Under the terms of the truce, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will maintain their current positions in southern Lebanon during the ten-day period. An Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post that IDF troops would not withdraw but would hold their lines to monitor the situation and respond to any violations. [3] The ceasefire has placed Netanyahu in a politically delicate situation. While Trump has framed the agreement as a diplomatic victory, Israeli public opinion remains skeptical of ending hostilities. Reporting from The New York Times indicated that Israeli voters did not wish the fighting to stop, reflecting broader domestic pressure on Netanyahu to maintain a strong security stance. [2] Meanwhile, European allies have criticized Netanyahu for continuing strikes in Lebanon even after the U.S. And Iran reached their own temporary ceasefire in early April. [1] Observers note that Trump’s intervention marks another instance in which the U.S. President has directly influenced Netanyahu’s military decisions. Less than a week before the Lebanon ceasefire announcement, Trump had reportedly shocked Netanyahu by declaring that Israeli strikes in Lebanon were “prohibited,” a move that underscored the shifting dynamics in U.S.-Israel coordination. [4] Despite Netanyahu’s frequent praise of the close relationship between himself and Trump, analysts say the president has repeatedly used his authority to compel the Israeli prime minister to adjust strategy based on Washington’s preferences. [4] As the ten-day ceasefire takes effect, residents in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh region have begun returning to their homes and venturing into streets that were recently affected by cross-border fire. Video footage showed civilians walking through towns as the truce held at its onset, signaling a tentative calm along the frontier. [4] The success of the ceasefire will depend on whether both sides adhere to its terms over the coming days and whether it can serve as a foundation for longer-term de-escalation. With White House talks still pending and regional tensions remaining high, the agreement represents a fragile but significant pause in a conflict that has repeatedly flared despite international efforts to contain it.