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Ceasefire · Diplomacy · Geopolitics · Middle East Conflict
International pressure intensified on Israel to halt strikes in Lebanon, prompting President Donald Trump to urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to scale back operations and open direct talks with Lebanon, a move Netanyahu agreed to despite initial declarations of continued force, as European allies warned of humanitarian disaster and Iran threatened to skip negotiations.
The Trump administration and Israel acknowledge Lebanon is not covered by the Iran ceasefire, but Israel committed to being a "helpful partner." Netanyahu subsequently instructed his Cabinet to initiate negotiations with Lebanon, focusing on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations. European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Austrian officials, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, condemned Israel's strikes, citing a humanitarian disaster with over 1 million displaced people and 182 killed and 890 wounded in Lebanon from "Operation Eternal Darkness." Italy summoned Israel's ambassador, expressing concern about a potential "another Gaza." The collective international stance pushes for de-escalation and a broader ceasefire to include Lebanon.
