The US initiative is under the "microscope" of developments in the Middle East, with Donald Trump announcing a three-week extension of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and stating that he will not rush an agreement with Iran, insisting on the need for a "good and proper" agreement.
The US president said on Thursday that there is a "very good chance" that a peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon will be reached within 2026, after announcing a three-week extension of the ceasefire.
The initial ceasefire agreement, announced last week, was for a duration of ten days.
The US president announced that he expects Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to meet at the White House "in the coming weeks."
In a post on the Truth Social platform, he said: "The meeting went very well! The United States is going to work with Lebanon to help protect it from Hezbollah."
Trump's post about the meeting
“The President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, the Vice President of the United States, J.D. Vance, the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, and the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa, met today with senior representatives of Israel and Lebanon in the Oval Office.
The meeting went very well! The United States is going to work with Lebanon to help it protect itself from Hezbollah.
The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will be extended for THREE WEEKS.
I look forward to hosting the Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, and the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, in the near future.
It was a great honor to participate in this very historic meeting!"
Trump: Three-week extension to Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, says "I'm in no rush" to reach deal with Iran
Rubio: Trump's role is decisive
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Donald Trump's personal involvement "made it possible" to extend the ceasefire.
"The president wanted to get personally involved and he's glad he did, because that made it possible to achieve this extension and gives everyone time to continue working towards what will be a lasting peace," he said.
He added that both Israel and Lebanon have been affected by Hezbollah's actions, noting: "The people of Lebanon deserve to live in a peaceful and prosperous country."
Fragile ceasefire and new tension
The ceasefire remains fragile, with both sides accusing each other of violations.
Hezbollah announced that it had fired rockets at Israel, citing Israeli violations of the ceasefire.
According to figures, nearly 2.500 people have been killed in Lebanon since the start of the Israeli attacks, while Israel maintains a security zone in the south of the country.
The two countries, which have been officially at war since 1948, had held a meeting on April 14 in Washington, the first since 1993.
The conflict escalated in early March, following attacks by Hezbollah, resulting in more than 2.400 people being killed and over a million displaced in Lebanon.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said there was "no serious disagreement" with Lebanon, arguing that the main obstacle to peace is Hezbollah.
Trump on Iran: "I'm in no rush for a deal"
Donald Trump has made it clear that he is not under pressure to reach an agreement with Iran.
In a post on Truth Social, he said: "I have all the time in the world... There will be no deal until it is right and good for the US, our allies, and the whole world."
At the same time, he noted that the US controls the Strait of Hormuz and that it seeks to prevent Iran from reaping economic benefits from oil exports.
During a press conference at the White House, Trump ruled out the possibility of using nuclear weapons.
"Why use nuclear weapons when we have decimated them with conventional ones? Nuclear weapons should never be allowed to be used by anyone," he said.
US military moves and plans
At the same time, the aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush is heading to the Middle East region, strengthening the American presence.
It will be the third US aircraft carrier in the region, along with the USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln.
At the same time, military officials are working on new plans for possible operations in the Strait of Hormuz, in the event of the collapse of the ceasefire with Iran.
Source: protothema.gr
