On June 1, 2026, President Trump intervened to halt Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plans to conduct airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut. This decision followed warnings from Iran that it would withdraw from negotiations with the U.S. if Israel proceeded with its military actions. An Israeli official confirmed that the planned strikes would not occur.
Trump stated that negotiations with Iran were continuing and emphasized the importance of not jeopardizing a potential deal with Iran. Following Netanyahu's threats to bomb Hezbollah in response to ceasefire violations, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that Israel's actions constituted a breach of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement, and Iran would respond to any violations.
After discussions with Netanyahu, Trump announced that both Israel and Hezbollah would cease hostilities. The Lebanese embassy in Washington reported that Hezbollah accepted a U.S. proposal for a mutual cessation of attacks, contingent on Israel halting its planned strikes. However, neither Israel nor Hezbollah has confirmed acceptance of this proposal, and past ceasefire announcements have often been ineffective.
The U.S. has been urging Israel to avoid strikes on Beirut as part of a broader de-escalation strategy. Despite this, the Israeli military had been preparing for significant airstrikes and had advised residents of the Dahieh District in Beirut to evacuate for safety. Trump indicated that he had a productive conversation with Netanyahu and that no troops would be sent to Beirut, although Israel had not intended to send ground forces but rather to conduct airstrikes.
Trump also claimed to have spoken with representatives of Hezbollah who agreed to ceasefire terms, although the identity of these representatives remains unclear. The speaker of the Lebanese parliament indicated that Hezbollah was ready for a full ceasefire with Israel, but U.S. officials were skeptical about Netanyahu's willingness to accept such terms. Diplomatic talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials are scheduled to continue in Washington.