President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he has “PROHIBITED” the government of Israel from continuing its extensive bombing campaigns throughout Lebanon, a decision that is part of an agreement that is independent of ongoing negotiations aimed at ending hostilities with Iran.
The White House is currently engaged in talks mediated by Pakistan with what remains of the Iranian Islamist regime after nearly two months of “Operation Epic Fury.” This Pentagon action has aimed to diminish Iran’s capacity to threaten its neighbors and the United States. The regime has suffered significant losses, including dozens of its senior leaders, such as “supreme leader” Ali Khamenei, as well as much of its naval and airstrike capabilities.
“This deal [with Iran] is in no way subject to Lebanon, either, but the USA will, separately, work with Lebanon, and deal with the Hezboolah situation in an appropriate manner,” Trump wrote. “Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer. They are PROHIBITED from doing so by the U.S.A. Enough is enough!!!”
“Operation Epic Fury” was carried out alongside related actions by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) against Iran and was paused for two weeks on April 8 to create space for negotiations, Breitbart News reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the ceasefire on Friday, describing it as the beginning of a long journey towards resolving relations with Lebanon. Since 1948, Lebanon and Israel have been in a formal state of war, a situation that remains unresolved. Netanyahu explained that, while the IDF had “not yet finished the job” of eliminating Hezbollah, the talks were “giving an opportunity to advance a combined diplomatic and military solution with the Lebanese government.”
The Israel Defense Forces conducted an extensive air campaign targeting areas in southern Lebanon, stating that the Iran-backed group Hezbollah was operating military infrastructure within civilian communities and using residents as human shields.
Israeli authorities issued evacuation warnings for multiple communities, contributing to large-scale displacement. Estimates indicate that more than one million people have been affected, although some residents—particularly in Christian villages—have remained. The developments have drawn criticism from the government of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, which has sought to limit Hezbollah’s influence.
Israeli officials have argued that Lebanon’s government has not taken sufficient action against Hezbollah, necessitating Israeli military operations. They have also cited continued security concerns in northern Israel following the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas, noting Hezbollah’s support for the group.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in March that the military was considering intensified operations in border areas to address threats to Israeli communities, drawing comparisons to Israel’s campaign in Gaza.
Following an April 8 announcement of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, Shehbaz Sharif suggested the agreement could extend to hostilities between Israel and Lebanon. That claim was later rejected by both Israeli officials and President Donald Trump.
Trump later said that Israel and Lebanon had independently reached a position regarding their conflict and stated that he had played a role in limiting further Israeli strikes, though details of any such arrangement have not been publicly confirmed.
The Times of Israel reported later Friday that Lebanese media had documented a drone strike by the Israel Defense Forces in southern Lebanon, though the IDF had not confirmed the incident at the time of publication.
The report also noted that the ceasefire framework did not appear to prohibit actions aimed at preventing “planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks,” but was instead focused on limiting broader or sustained military operations, such as large-scale strikes on populated areas.
Katz, in separate remarks, emphasized that the ceasefire did not mean that the IDF would vacate its positions in Lebanon. “The IDF holds and will continue to hold all the areas it has cleared and captured,” he asserted.
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