President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu provided conflicting accounts of a telephone conversation regarding the ongoing conflict in Lebanon, as the United States struggles to revive efforts toward a peace agreement with Iran.
Mismatched Statements on Ceasefire
The contradictory statements represent another instance of unclear signals regarding progress toward ending a war that has now entered its fourth month, resulting in thousands of casualties across the region and triggering a global energy crisis. Iran announced on Monday that it was suspending talks with the U.S. amid continued clashes in Lebanon, which Tehran has insisted must cease as part of any broader peace deal.
In a Truth Social post on Monday evening, Trump claimed he had asked the Israeli leader “not to go into a major raid of Beirut, Lebanon. He turned his Troops around. Thank you Bibi! I also had a conversation with Representatives of the Leaders of Hezbollah, and they agreed to stop shooting at Israel, and its soldiers. Likewise, Israel agreed to stop shooting at them. Let’s see how long that lasts — Hopefully it will be for ETERNITY!”
Netanyahu’s Account Differs
Netanyahu, however, described the arrangement in more limited terms. While he confirmed that Israel would refrain from striking targets in Beirut as long as Hezbollah ceased its attacks, he emphasized that Israel’s military campaign in southern Lebanon would continue.
“I spoke this evening with President Trump and told him that if Hezbollah does not stop firing at our cities and citizens – Israel will strike terrorist targets in Beirut,” Netanyahu said in a social media post. “This position of ours remains unchanged. Concurrently, the IDF will continue to operate as planned in southern Lebanon.”
Lebanon Confirms Hezbollah Agreement
Lebanon has received confirmation that Hezbollah, a militia designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., agreed to the American proposal. The Lebanese presidency stated that Israel’s planned attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs would be halted in exchange for the militant group ceasing its strikes. The presidency added that the ceasefire should be expanded to include all Lebanese territories, with further negotiations scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Earlier Monday, Trump said that talks with Iran were continuing “at a rapid pace,” contradicting statements from Tehran. Iran has insisted that any peace agreement with Washington must also cover Lebanon, where Tehran-backed Hezbollah and Israel are engaged in a parallel war.
Market Impact
Asian stocks retreated from record highs early Tuesday amid the conflicting signals from the Middle East. Brent crude oil steadied around $95 a barrel. Trump has regularly claimed that negotiations were advancing and close to reaching a deal, even as the ceasefire that began in April remained fragile. Iran disputed reports last week that an interim accord was near and on Monday said it would act with its proxies, dubbed the “Axis of Resistance,” against Israel if fighting in Lebanon continued.
