Extension of Lebanon's truce. Trump hints at meeting between Aoun and Netanyahu

US President Donald Trump has extended the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel for an additional three weeks, after it was scheduled to end on Sunday, stressing that Washington sees the next stage as a real opportunity to advance a negotiation path between the two sides.

Trump's announcement came in a post on the "Truth Social" platform, and in a press conference he held at the White House after the end of the second round of the preparatory meeting between the Lebanese and Israeli delegations.

 Trump said he and Vice President J.D.  Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and U.S. ambassadors to Tel Aviv and Beirut participated in a meeting with high-level representatives from both sides inside the Oval Office, describing the talks as "excellent" and that it was a "great honor" to participate in them.

The  US president expressed his aspiration to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun "in the near future", stressing that his country will work with Lebanon to "help it protect itself from Hezbollah" and said: "We announce the extension of the ceasefire for three weeks."

During the same conference, he said there was a "great chance" of reaching a peace agreement between Lebanon and Israel this year, calling on Iran to stop funding Hezbollah, stressing that "Israel will defend itself if it comes under fire, but it has to do so with caution."

Saudi Arabia enters the armistice line

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan discussed by phone with Lebanese Speaker of the House of Representatives Nabih Berri the efforts made to "completely stop" Israeli aggressions on Lebanese territory, according to a statement by the Saudi Foreign Ministry, coinciding with Arab and international efforts and movements to stop Israeli aggressions.

The statement said Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a   phone call with Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri, during  which he discussed  developments on Lebanese territory and "efforts to completely stop Israeli aggressions on them."

 The minister reiterated "the Kingdom's position in support of the stability of the Lebanese Republic and the empowerment of state institutions in it," while Berri praised "the Kingdom's role and continuous efforts in supporting Lebanon and maintaining its security and the security of the region," reiterating "Lebanon's adherence to the Taif Agreement and its rejection of everything that threatens the Kingdom."

Continued Violations of the Truce

Despite the extension, southern Lebanon witnessed new violations of the truce by the Israeli army, as  three civilians were killed on Thursday,  April 23, 2026, in an airstrike that targeted a car they were travelling in on the Nabatieh-Shokin road, according to medical and field sources.

On the seventh day of the ceasefire, Hezbollah announced the implementation  of three operations against Israeli military targets in southern Lebanon, including targeting two concentrations of soldiers in the town of Taybeh, one with appropriate weapons and the other with a puff march, in addition to shooting down an Israeli reconnaissance plane over the town of Majdal Zone, and the party said that its operations come "in response to the continuous Israeli violations since the beginning of the truce on April 17."

On Wednesday, the army launched 23 attacks on Lebanese areas on the sixth day of the truce, killing 6 people, including a journalist, and wounding five others, while the party responded with seven operations targeting an artillery barracks, a Hummer vehicle, 4 marches and a gathering of soldiers.

A fragile agreement and a right that Israel uses to attack

On April 17, Trump  announced a  10-day renewable truce between Israel and Hezbollah, pledging that Tel Aviv "will no longer attack Lebanon," but Israel has continued to violate the agreement daily, citing a clause in the truce text that allows it to "take all necessary measures in self-defense at any time against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks," a clause it uses to justify its military operations.