Ten-Day Ceasefire in Lebanon Begins
Israel and Lebanon have reached a ten-day ceasefire, bringing relief and uncertainty. US President Trump says he will host the leaders of the two countries for talks. And he says he's confident the original theater of this Middle Eastern war--Iran--will see a lasting peace soon too. But fundamental differences in the two sides' positions remain--and the lack of results from a first round of talks suggests a difficult road to peace.
Ceasefire in Lebanon Brings Temporary Calm Amid Uncertainty
REPORTER:
Fireworks in Beirut after weeks of violence as a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon arrives. Lebanon says over 2,100 people have died in Israeli attacks on its territory since this front in the Middle East opened on March 2.
Now, for ten days, at least, calm could return to the country—with the agreement the Lebanese government will reign in Iranian proxy Hezbollah. Amid celebrations like this one, though, there is uncertainty.
If they want to withdraw from there, from our area, from the south, from the villages on the front, then we've accomplished a great deal. But if they don't withdraw, what will we have accomplished? We'll still be in the same place, and worse still. Before, we had houses we would come and go to, but now we don't.
US President Donald Trump, whose government mediated the ceasefire, says he expects Hezbollah to act—quote—nicely during the ceasefire.
But in Israel, where Hezbollah attacks have killed two civilians, there is mistrust of the Iranian-backed group as well as happiness about the ceasefire.
I am happy to go back to some kind of a normalcy. But at the same time, I don't really believe a terror organization like Hezbollah will actually obey the rules of a ceasefire, as we have seen many times before.
Trump is optimistic—he says he’s invited the leaders of Lebanon and Israel to the White House for talks.
He’s also bullish on the original theater of this war—Iran. He says talks with the country could resume as soon as this weekend. He even says he might travel to mediator Pakistan in person to seal a final deal.
I would, I would go to Pakistan, Pakistan has been great. They've been so good, Islamabad, I'll be, I might go, yeah.
But a first round of talks there ended without a breakthrough. A ceasefire with Iran is set to expire. And both sides still disagree on everything from Iran’s enrichment of uranium to its control over the Hormuz Strait. The Middle East has time to catch its breath. But a lasting peace hasn’t arrived.
