Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday (local time) that Israeli troops would remain deployed in southern Lebanon throughout the ongoing 10-day ceasefire, stressing that the decision was to ensure border security, according to CNN.
“We will remain in a 10-kilometer security zone, which will allow us to prevent the infiltration of communities and the firing of anti-tank missiles,” Netanyahu said in a video statement released shortly after US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire.
He asserted that Israel would not reduce its presence in the region, describing the current deployment as more robust than previous measures, according to CNN.
“We remain in Lebanon in an expanded security zone,” Netanyahu said, adding that the area is “much stronger, much more powerful, much more continuous and much more solid than what we had before.”
“We’re staying there. We’re not leaving,” he said.
Netanyahu noted that the truce is intended to facilitate continued diplomatic ties with Lebanon, even as tensions remain along the border, according to CNN.
He said Trump had invited him and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to Washington, D.C., for talks, although Aoun had earlier declined to join a phone call with Netanyahu amid ongoing Israeli strikes, CNN reported.
Netanyahu outlined Israel’s position in the negotiations, saying the focus remains on security and long-term stability.
He said yesterday: “We have two demands in the talks: the disarmament of Hezbollah (and) a sustainable peace agreement – from a position of strength,” he said.
What did Trump say?
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) described ongoing efforts to broker peace between Israel and Lebanon as “very exciting”, hinting at a possible breakthrough and hinting that it could become another major diplomatic achievement.
Asked about what was described as the “tenth border” negotiations, Trump said: “It’s very exciting. It’s very exciting with Lebanon. I think we’re going to get a deal. We’re going to have a meeting for the first time in 44 years and Lebanon will meet with Israel and they’ll probably do it at the White House.”
He added that he had recently spoken with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and expressed confidence in a ceasefire arrangement.
“We’re going to be meeting with Bibi Netanyahu and the president of Lebanon. I had a great conversation with both of them today. They’re going to have a cease-fire and that’s going to include Hezbollah…” Trump said.
On the timeline, the US president indicated that a meeting between the two sides could take place soon. “Within the next week or two,” he said.
Responding to concerns about whether a deal could be reached without Hezbollah’s approval, Trump expressed optimism about a broader alignment.
“I think we will have an agreement between Lebanon and they will take care of Hezbollah. But right now they will work on Hezbollah, but we will have an agreement between Israel, which is very important, and Lebanon,” he said.
Here’s what Iran’s parliament speaker had to say
Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Lebanon must be included in any comprehensive deal between Iran and the United States as diplomatic efforts continue after a ceasefire in the region, CNN reported.
Speaking to Pakistani negotiators, including Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir, Ghalibaf emphasized Lebanon’s centrality to any lasting peace framework, according to CNN.
“Lebanon is an integral part of a comprehensive ceasefire and plays an important role in progressing towards lasting peace in the region,” CNN said, citing Iranian state media.
Munir is currently in Tehran for high-level talks aimed at facilitating talks between Iran and the United States, including preparations for a possible second round of talks after the initial talks held in Islamabad.
But Ghalibaf also accused Washington of undermining regional stability and warned that US actions could “prevent measures from achieving results,” according to CNN.
Ghalibaf also attributed the ceasefire to Hezbollah’s resistance while maintaining a cautious stance.
“As I said last night, the ceasefire was only the result of the extraordinary perseverance of the heroes of Hezbollah and the unity of the Axis of Resistance,” he wrote on X.
The comments come after Israel and Lebanon agreed to begin a 10-day ceasefire following sustained diplomatic efforts by the United States. He described his discussions with both sides as “excellent” and called it a step towards a broader and more lasting peace in the region.
The ceasefire comes at a key moment for West Asia after a period of heightened tension along the Israeli-Lebanese border.
(With input from agencies)
