Beirut: Lebanon announced a partial ceasefire with Israel, marking a significant development in the ongoing conflict. Lebanon revealed that Hezbollah has accepted a partial ceasefire offer from Israel. The agreement entails Israel halting airstrikes on Beirut and its suburbs, while Hezbollah ceases attacks into Israeli territory. Nevertheless, the Lebanese Embassy in Washington clarified that this plan does not fully resolve the conflict, as ground fighting and clashes persist in southern Lebanon.
According to Thai News Agency, U.S. President Donald Trump, who was the first to disclose this ceasefire, stated that he had communicated with Hezbollah through an intermediary, receiving assurances that the group would not attack Israel. Trump also mentioned discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who agreed to withdraw troops poised for an assault on southern Lebanon.
The United States maintains its position of blacklisting Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, and historically, no U.S. president has engaged in negotiations with the group, directly or indirectly. Following Trump's announcement, Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated that the Israeli military would continue operations in southern Lebanon, the deepest ground advance in 25 years. Meanwhile, Hezbollah legislator Hassan Fadlallah expressed support for a full nationwide ceasefire if Israel withdrew all its troops. Lebanese authorities are preparing for negotiations to extend the ceasefire agreement during discussions in Washington.
This development may pave the way for renewed efforts to end the three-month-long war, initiated by a coordinated attack on Iran by the United States and Israel. Negotiations have been stalled under a fragile ceasefire, with negotiators unable to agree on a preliminary framework for peace talks.
In parallel, Iranian state media reported Tehran's suspension of indirect peace negotiations with the United States, potentially ending the ceasefire in effect since early April, citing the conflict in Lebanon. However, there has been no direct confirmation from Iranian officials. President Trump stated that he had not received any reports from Iran and expressed disinterest in the peace talks' outcome.
Since mid-March, President Trump has repeatedly claimed proximity to signing a peace agreement, yet no such agreement has been finalized. Despite the ceasefire, Iran and the United States have exchanged fire on several occasions in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, Esmail Qaani, commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, threatened to expand the blockade of shipping lanes from the Strait of Hormuz to the Strait of El Mandeb, a strategically important area at the mouth of the Red Sea. Iran has currently blocked shipping traffic in the Persian Gulf, a significant shipping route for up to one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas prior to the war, causing crude oil prices to rise by 4 percent amid escalating tensions.