President Donald Trump on Thursday renewed his call for peace across the Middle East, urging all parties to uphold ongoing negotiations as Israel moved to deepen its military presence inside southern Lebanon.
“The United States is committed to PEACE, and we encourage everyone in the Middle East Region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations to beautifully unfold,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We expect a complete Ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel.”
Trump also pointed to market gains and declining oil prices as signs that investors support diplomatic efforts in the region.
“The Markets are loving what is happening with Oil Prices way down, and Stocks way up,” Trump added.
Trump’s comments came one day after the United States, Israel, and Iran reached an agreement aimed at ending hostilities and reducing tensions throughout the region. The agreement calls for an end to fighting on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and urges all parties to respect Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Despite those commitments, Israel signaled that it intends to maintain and potentially expand its military operations in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military on Thursday released a new map showing an enlarged zone of control inside southern Lebanon. The updated map places Israeli forces several kilometers deeper into Lebanese territory than previously disclosed, including areas near the Hezbollah stronghold of Nabatieh north of the Litani River.
Israeli officials told Reuters that Jerusalem is also holding discussions with U.S. officials about keeping Israeli troops deployed in southern Lebanon. One senior official close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the talks as “stubborn.”
Israel isn’t backing down in southern Lebanon. It has rejected global calls to withdraw its forces following the March invasion, which was launched to halt Hezbollah rocket fire. The toll so far is devastating: thousands dead, villages destroyed, and massive civilian displacement.
And the fighting isn’t stopping. Hezbollah kept up the pressure this week, using explosive drones to hit Israeli troops inside Lebanon. The casualties come at a terrible time, completely overshadowing ongoing diplomatic efforts to force a ceasefire.
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