The situation in the Middle East has taken a sharp turn following a statement by US President Donald Trump. The White House chief reported that critically important agreements have been reached aimed at the immediate cessation of hostilities between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah.
Troops Return
A key element of the agreement was the decision to withdraw Israeli forces. According to Trump, he had a "very productive" phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The result of the dialogue was the decision not to send additional troops to Beirut. Moreover, the American leader stated that units that had already been sent to the area of the Lebanese capital have already been returned.
"Troops will not be sent to Beirut, and those troops that have already gone there have already been brought back," Trump wrote on his social network Truth Social.
Agreement with Hezbollah
Parallel to contacts with Jerusalem, Washington established contact with representatives of the Lebanese movement. Trump noted that negotiations were conducted through intermediaries. According to the US President's statement, the parties have reached a mutual agreement to cease military operations.
"Through high-ranking representatives, I had a very productive conversation with Hezbollah, and they agreed that all hostilities will cease — Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel," RBC-Ukraine quotes Trump.
Jerusalem's Position: Deterrence, Not Capitulation
Despite optimistic statements from Washington, Israel interprets the new agreement differently. The country's Defense Minister, Israel Katz, clarified that this is not about renouncing a military response, but about a mechanism of deterrence.
According to Katz, Trump accepted the "equation" formulated by Israel: any shelling of Israeli settlements will automatically mean the bombing of Beirut. It is this threat, in the minister's opinion, that is implied in the statement by the American leader.
Impact on Negotiations with Iran
De-escalation in Lebanon was of critical importance for diplomatic processes with Tehran. Earlier, Iran suspended negotiations with the US, demanding the cessation of Israeli military operations in the region as a condition for resuming dialogue.
However, Trump refuted information about a complete break in contacts. He stated that Iran has not officially informed Washington about the cessation of the negotiation process. The American President emphasized that the US does not intend to move to a new large-scale military escalation. Subsequently, he reported that dialogue with Iran is continuing "at a fast pace," although details of possible agreements remain closed.