By Elsie Kamsiyochi
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has called on U.S. President Donald Trump to intensify efforts to secure a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, as diplomatic pressure grows across the Middle East to prevent the conflict from widening further.
The appeal came during the first-ever direct conversation between the two leaders, a symbolic moment that underscores the seriousness of the current crisis and the urgent search for a political solution.
The conflict expanded into Lebanon in early March when Hezbollah launched attacks in support of Iran during the broader regional war. Israel responded with a large-scale military campaign across southern Lebanon, reigniting a front that had remained fragile since the last major confrontation. Since then, daily airstrikes and artillery exchanges have displaced more than a million civilians and left entire communities in southern Lebanon devastated.
Lebanese officials say Aoun urged Trump to use Washington’s influence to halt the fighting before it causes even greater destruction.
According to the Lebanese presidency, Aoun stressed that any future negotiations between Beirut and Tel Aviv can only happen after a ceasefire is achieved and Israeli forces begin withdrawing from parts of southern Lebanon. Lebanese leaders remain deeply cautious about direct political talks with Israel while military operations continue.
Pakistan also entered the diplomatic conversation on Thursday, saying that stability in Lebanon has become essential to broader regional peace efforts, particularly ongoing attempts to resolve tensions surrounding Iran.
Islamabad argued that a prolonged war on the Lebanese front could undermine fragile negotiations elsewhere in the region and make a wider settlement far more difficult to achieve.
An Israeli source indicated that a temporary ceasefire could be announced within hours, although no official confirmation had been issued by either side at the time.
President Trump had earlier signaled optimism, saying he hoped to create “breathing room” between Lebanon and Israel and suggesting progress was being made behind the scenes. However, Lebanese officials quickly denied reports that Aoun would speak directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, emphasizing that a halt in hostilities must come first.
Despite the diplomatic movement, violence continued on the ground. Heavy fighting was reported in the strategic southern town of Bint Jbeil, one of Hezbollah’s strongest positions.
Lebanese security sources also said an Israeli strike destroyed the last functioning bridge over the Litani River, effectively isolating parts of southern Lebanon from the rest of the country and worsening an already severe humanitarian crisis.
The war has sharply exposed divisions inside Lebanon itself. The Lebanese government has opposed Hezbollah’s decision to enter the conflict and has been attempting to reassert state authority over armed groups operating independently of the military. Officials in Beirut see a ceasefire not only as a way to stop the bloodshed, but also as a necessary step toward restoring political control and preventing Lebanon from being drawn deeper into a regional confrontation.
For now, international mediators are racing to turn fragile diplomatic contacts into a formal agreement. Whether the latest push can produce a meaningful pause in the fighting may determine not only Lebanon’s immediate future, but also the broader prospects for stability across the Middle East.
Source Reuters
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