Israel and Lebanon agree 10-day ceasefire, Trump says

The leaders of Israel and Lebanon have agreed a 10-day ceasefire, US President Donald Trump has said, starting from 17:00 EST (21:00 GMT; midnight local time) on Thursday. For the past six weeks, Israel and Hezbollah - an Iran-backed armed group - have been fighting in southern Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Israel's participation in the truce, but said troops would maintain a 10km-deep (6.2 mile) "security zone" in the country's south, adding: "We are there, and we are not leaving." Hezbollah appeared willing to participate in the ceasefire, but said it must include "a comprehensive halt to attacks" across Lebanon and "no freedom of movement for Israeli forces". Iran's foreign ministry also welcomed the ceasefire. Tehran had insisted that its own two-week ceasefire with the US should include Lebanon while the US and Israel said it did not. The US and Iran have been discussing a second round of peace talks in Pakistan and, speaking to reporters in Washington, Trump said the US and Iran had already agreed on a lot, including that Tehran would not have nuclear weapons "beyond 20 years" - but warned that "if there is no deal, fighting resumes". The latest