Washington

US President Donald Trump has expressed support for Israel’s ongoing military actions in Lebanon, clarifying that Hezbollah was not part of the recent ceasefire arrangement between Washington and Tehran that temporarily paused tensions in West Asia for two weeks.

In an interview with PBS News, Trump addressed questions about continued strikes in Lebanon despite the ceasefire. He explained that the agreement did not cover Hezbollah, indicating that the situation involving the group remains separate.

When asked why Israel’s operations in Lebanon were excluded from the deal, Trump reiterated that Hezbollah was not included in the terms. He added that the matter would be handled independently and suggested there was no cause for concern.

Responding to whether he supported Israel’s continued military action in Lebanon, Trump stated that such operations were understood to fall outside the ceasefire framework, describing the situation as a distinct conflict.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel would persist with its offensive in southern Lebanon, aiming to counter the threat posed by Hezbollah. This stance remains unchanged despite Israel’s backing of the US decision to pause strikes against Iran to explore a long-term peace arrangement.

A statement from Netanyahu’s office noted that Israel supports Trump’s move to halt military action against Iran for two weeks, provided Iran takes immediate steps such as reopening key maritime routes and ending attacks on the US, Israel, and other countries in the region. The statement also emphasized joint efforts to prevent Iran from posing nuclear, missile, or terror-related threats globally.

It further highlighted that the United States is committed to achieving these shared goals through upcoming negotiations. However, the ceasefire agreement does not extend to Lebanon.

This development follows Trump’s announcement of a temporary halt to military operations against Iran, introducing a two-week bilateral ceasefire. He described a ten-point proposal from Iran as a potential foundation for reaching a long-term agreement.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump mentioned that discussions with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir influenced his decision to pause the planned military action against Iran. The suspension is also conditional upon Iran ensuring the safe and immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

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Trump further stated that most US military objectives had already been achieved and that progress toward a lasting peace agreement in the Middle East was well underway, with Iran’s proposal serving as a workable starting point for negotiations.