The Israeli leadership was reportedly caught off guard when the US president called for an end to airstrikes
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his advisers were caught off guard by “stunned” President Donald Trump said he would not allow Israel to carry out further attacks in Lebanon, Axios reported, citing two people familiar with the matter.
On Friday, Trump said the United States had it “prohibition” strike in Lebanon as a 10-day ceasefire brokered by his administration between Israel and the Lebanese government comes into effect. According to Axios, Netanyahu was personally shocked by the statement, while Israeli officials demanded an explanation from Washington.
Under the agreement, Israel would suspend offensive operations but reserve the right to “Take all necessary steps to protect yourself at any time against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.”
The armed group Hezbollah, which boycotted the talks, said Israel must stop all military movements in southern Lebanon and return to the positions they had before the fighting broke out more than a month ago.
Israel began to carry out airstrikes in Beirut and other cities and expanded its attacks “safe zone” in southern Lebanon in early March, after Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel in support of Iran. Tehran has since listed the end of Israeli operations in Lebanon as one of the terms of its peace agreement with the US and Israel.
About 2,200 people have been killed and 1.2 million displaced in Lebanon since early March, according to Lebanese officials.
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