Trump: Israel-Lebanon Peace Talks Could Happen Within 2 Weeks/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Donald Trump says Israel and Lebanon could hold peace talks within weeks. The potential meeting follows a newly announced 10-day ceasefire agreement. Trump also highlighted progress in Iran negotiations and praised the US blockade. Israel will not withdraw from positions in Lebanon during ceasefire, Netanyahu says.
Trump Israel Lebanon Talks Quick Looks
- Trump expects peace talks within one to two weeks
- White House meeting could be first in decades
- Ceasefire agreement seen as step toward long-term deal
- Hezbollah’s role expected in any final agreement
- US blockade on Iran described as “very strong”
- Iran talks may resume soon amid fragile ceasefire
- Israel will not withdraw from positions in Lebanon during ceasefire, Netanyahu says
Deep Look
Trump Signals Imminent Israel-Lebanon Talks
President Donald Trump expressed optimism that Israel and Lebanon could soon engage in direct peace talks, possibly at the White House.
“I think we’re going to have a meeting,” Trump told reporters, adding that it could take place “over the next week or two.” He noted the significance of such a meeting, saying it would mark the first high-level talks between the two sides in more than four decades.
Trump calls Israel-Lebanon ceasefire ‘very exciting’ opportunity
“I had a great talk with both of them today,” Trump said of this conversations with Aoun and Netanyahu. “They’re going to be having a ceasefire, and that’ll include Hezbollah.”
Trump in an extended exchange with reporters said also that he expected that Aoun and Netanyahu would meet in the next week or two, before saying the White House meeting between the Mideast leaders could happen in the next four or five days.
The president added that he was open to visiting Lebanon “at the right time.”
Ceasefire Sets Stage for Diplomacy
The proposed talks come shortly after Israel and Lebanon agreed to a temporary ceasefire. Trump described the agreement as a “very nice little package for about a week,” suggesting it could open the door to a broader and more lasting peace arrangement.
If negotiations succeed, Trump indicated that Hezbollah would be part of the overall resolution. “I think we will have an agreement between Lebanon, and they’re going to take care of Hezbollah,” he said.
Trump Praises Iran Blockade Strategy
Alongside his comments on Lebanon, Trump strongly defended the U.S. naval blockade targeting Iran, describing it as highly effective.
“So we’re doing very well with respect to that, having to do with the whole situation on Iran. The blockade is amazing. It’s holding up very strong, very powerfully. And I think we’re making a lot of progress in that,” he said.
Trump claimed the blockade has significantly weakened Iran’s ability to operate economically and militarily.
“It’s been, it’s held, and they’re not doing any business,” he said. “They’re unable to do any business because of the blockade. And so the combination of having no navy, having no air force, having no anti-aircraft equipment, they have nothing, everything is gone.”
He further emphasized enforcement, stating, “No ship is going past our navy.”
Warnings From Lebanon Amid Ceasefire
Despite diplomatic momentum, officials in Lebanon are urging caution. Nabih Berri warned residents not to return to southern areas yet due to ongoing risks.
“Safeguarding lives and personal safety is among our foremost duties,” Berri said.
“We urge everyone to exercise patience and delay their return to their towns and villages until the situation and unfolding events become clear, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement,” he added.
Southern Lebanon has experienced sustained conflict, forcing many residents to flee amid ongoing military operations.
Iran Talks May Resume Soon
Trump also indicated that negotiations with Iran could continue in the near future, potentially as soon as the weekend.
“Probably, maybe over the weekend,” he said when asked about the timeline for further discussions.
The administration has been engaged in ongoing diplomatic efforts, with senior officials leading negotiations aimed at securing a broader agreement.
Trump says $4 a gallon gas ‘not very high’ given importance of stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon
The U.S. president played down prices at the pump averaging $4.09 a gallon nationwide, saying the cost wasn’t so great relative to the risk of evening higher prices tied to keeping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.
“Well, they’re not very high, if you look at what they were supposed to be in order to get rid of a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters about gas prices before a planned trip to Las Vegas.
The president repeated a past claim that he thought the war with Iran would have driven energy costs much higher.
Gas prices are up roughly 29% from a year ago, according to AAA.
Uncertainty Over Ceasefire Extension
While expressing confidence in progress, Trump suggested that extending the current ceasefire with Iran may not be necessary.
“We’re doing well, I can tell you,” he said. “I’m not sure it needs to be extended.”
At the same time, he made clear that failure to reach an agreement could lead to renewed conflict.
“If there’s no deal, fighting resumes,” Trump warned.
He added that Iran appears more willing to negotiate than in the past, stating it is “willing to do things today that they weren’t willing to do two months ago.”
Israel will not withdraw from positions in Lebanon during ceasefire, Netanyahu says
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli military will not withdraw from its positions in southern Lebanon during the 10-day ceasefire.
“We will remain in a 10‑kilometer security zone, which will allow us to prevent infiltration into communities and anti‑tank missile fire,” Netanyahu said in a video statement soon after US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire on Thursday.
“We are remaining in Lebanon in an expanded security zone,” Netanyahu said, noting that it is a much greater area than Israel held following the November 2024 ceasefire with Lebanon. He described it as a security zone that is “much stronger, much more powerful, far more continuous, and far more solid than what we had before.”
“That is where we will remain. We are not leaving,” he said.
Netanyahu said the ceasefire was to allow for the continuation of talks with Lebanon. He said Trump had invited Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to meet in Washington, DC. Earlier Thursday, Aoun had declined to take part in a phone call with Netanyahu because of ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
“In the talks, we have two demands: the disarmament of Hezbollah (and) a sustainable peace agreement – from a position of strength,” Netanyahu said.
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