Israel, Lebanon agree to 10-day ceasefire

US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire starting on Thursday, though there was no indication if Iran-backed Hezbollah was on board.

Shortly afterwards, Trump said he had invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to the White House for further talks to ensure “lasting peace,” reports BBC and CNN.

It is not clear if either party has accepted the invitation to the talks, which if followed through would become the first of its kind since 1983.

Earlier, he posted on his Truth Social network: "These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5PM EST.”

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the “temporary” ceasefire agreement with Israel, which he said Lebanon had been demanding since the outbreak of the war.

He said he hoped the agreement will allow those have been displaced by the conflict to return to their homes, reports BBC.

Trump said he had directed US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and top US military officer Dan Caine to work with the two countries "to achieve a Lasting PEACE," reports AFP.

"It has been my Honor to solve 9 Wars across the World, and this will be my 10th, so let's, GET IT DONE!" said Trump, who launched the war on Iran alongside Israel on 28 February.

Hezbollah then pulled Lebanon into the Middle East war, firing rockets at Israel in support of its backer Tehran.

Since then, Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than one million, and Israeli ground forces have invaded the country's south.

Trump said late Wednesday that Aoun and Netanyahu were due to speak on Thursday, but there was no confirmation that any such call had happened.