International mediation by Donald Trump and US proposal halt offensive in Beirut; Lebanon and Hezbollah accept ceasefire terms

International mediation by Donald Trump and US proposal halt offensive in Beirut; Lebanon and Hezbollah accept ceasefire terms

In a historic diplomatic development, the imminent war scenario in Lebanon has seen a turnaround with the consolidation of a principled reciprocal ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Hezbollah group. The pact, driven by high-level direct negotiations conducted by Donald Trump in alignment with Washington's de-escalation proposal, takes effect after a day of extreme tension that nearly culminated in the full bombardment of the Lebanese capital.

The announcement brought immediate relief and acted as a diplomatic brake on the panic registered earlier in the day. Under joint orders from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, Israeli forces had ordered imminent attacks against the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh, triggering a mass exodus of civilians and kilometers of traffic gridlock on the capital's highways.

Negotiations on Truth Social and Truce Guarantees

In an official statement issued on his social network, Truth Social, Donald Trump confirmed that he established direct communication channels with both leaderships to halt hostilities:

Containing Israel's Advance: Trump assured that military movements toward the Lebanese capital have been stopped. "I had a very productive talk with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi [Benjamin] Netanyahu, and there will be no troops on the way to Beirut. Any troops that were on the way have already been stopped from entering," he declared.

 

Hezbollah's Commitment: The former president also highlighted the successful dialogue with the Lebanese group through intermediaries. "Likewise, through high-level representatives, I had a very good conversation with Hezbollah, and they agreed that all firing will cease — that Israel will not attack them and that they will not attack Israel," he stated.

Response from the Presidency of Lebanon and the Role of Washington

The effectiveness of the agreement was officially confirmed on the Lebanese institutional side. In a last-minute announcement carried by the Al Jazeera network, the Presidency of Lebanon validated the de-escalation, communicating that the country's authorities "received confirmation of Hezbollah's agreement with the US proposal, which demands a reciprocal cessation of attacks."

This breakthrough consolidates the "roadmap" proposed by the US government, whose negotiations had been conducted in parallel by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in bilateral meetings with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The plan aims to create a favorable environment for a gradual reduction of tensions and a complete cessation of hostilities, requiring Hezbollah to halt aggression against Israel in exchange for the Jewish State refraining from bombing Beirut.

The Military Context and Accumulated Humanitarian Crisis

The truce interrupts one of the most aggressive phases of the conflict. Hours before the agreement, the Israeli army had consolidated its deepest ground incursion into Lebanon in more than 25 years, crossing the Litani River and taking control of the historic Beaufort Castle (Qalaat al-Shaqif). Israel's intention was to force a dramatic policy shift, transforming the Litani region into a security zone free of Hezbollah weapons.

The success and strict fulfillment of this new ceasefire in the coming hours are considered crucial to stopping the humanitarian catastrophe on Lebanese soil. Since the intensification of clashes, which escalated from March 2 onward, the toll of casualties and losses is devastating:

Displaced: More than 1 million people have been forced to abandon their homes across the country.

Civilian Casualties: The most recent data from the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health indicates that 3,433 people have been killed and another 10,395 have been injured due to Israeli attacks.

International chancelleries are now closely monitoring the front line to ensure that ceasefire orders reach all battalions and that this new roadmap does not collapse like the previous armistice of April 17.