Trump says ‘let’s get it done’ after Israel and Lebanon agree 10-day ceasefire

Donald Trump is boasting that he is close to ending his tenth war after Israel and Lebanon agreed on a 10-day ceasefire.

The move is a first step towards a peace deal for Trump’s war in Iran and comes into effect at 5pm EST (10pm GMT).

The war has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have pounded military and civilian infrastructure.

But the US President announced on Truth Social: ‘I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel.

‘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. On Tuesday, the two Countries met for the first time in 34 years here in Washington, D.C., with our Great Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.

He said he wanted a ‘lasting peace’ between the nations, adding: ‘It has been my Honor to solve 9 Wars across the World, and this will be my 10th, so let’s, GET IT DONE! President DONALD J. TRUMP’.

Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn, he said Hezbollah would be included in the ceasefire agreement.

Trump expected Aoun and Netanyahu to meet in the next week or two, before saying the White House meeting between the Mideast leaders could happen in the next four or five days.

He also took the time to accuse Pope Leo of wanting Iran to have nuclear weapons in their war of words – the Pope has never said that and has demanded peace in Middle East.

There is anger and embarrassment in Israel as Trump unexpectedly announced the ceasefire in Lebanon before the cabinet got to vote, according to Channel 12.

Israeli forces are still on the ground in Lebanon, and even after Trump’s announcement, carried out a deadly strike on the town of Ghaziyeh killing at least eight civilians with more missing under the rubble.

Israel and Lebanon

Israel and Lebanon have technically been at war since Israel was established in 1948, and Lebanon remains deeply divided over diplomatic engagement with Israel.

Lebanon and Israel signed an agreement in 1983 saying Lebanon would formally recognise Israel, and Israel would withdraw from Lebanon. The deal fell apart during Lebanon’s civil war and was formally rescinded a year later.

But the deaths have multiplied after skirmishes mainly between Hezbollah and Israel, sparked by the October 7 attacks.

Israeli troops pushed deeper into southern Lebanon to create what officials have called a ‘security zone,’ which Netanyahu has said will extend at least 6 miles into Lebanon.

Since October 7, Israeli strikes have killed at least 2,196 people in Lebanon among them 252 women, 166 children and 88 medical workers.

More than one million people have been displaced.

Iran-backed Hezbollah, weakened after its last war with Israel that ended in November 2024, had been firing drones, rockets and artillery daily into northern Israel and on ground troops inside Lebanon.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the ceasefire was his country’s first goal in landmark talks that took place with Israel in Washington on Tuesday between the country’s ambassadors to the U.S.

‘While I congratulate all Lebanese on this achievement, I offer my condolences to the families of the martyrs who fell, and I affirm my solidarity with their families, with the wounded, and with the citizens forced to flee their cities and villages,’ Salam said.

Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim al-Moussawi said that the Lebanese militants will respect a ceasefire if Israeli attacks stop.

‘We in Hezbollah will cautiously adhere to the ceasefire on the condition that it is a comprehensive halt to hostilities against us and that Israel not use it to carry out any assassinations,’ he says.

‘We express thanks to Iran for having applied pressure in Lebanon’s favour,’ he says, adding that ‘the ceasefire would not have happened without Iran considering the ceasefire as equal to closing the Strait of Hormuz.’

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