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U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to dial back fighting after he talked with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and communicated with the Lebanese militant group through mediators.
Trump announced the development in a social media post following a call with Netanyahu, whose forces recently made their deepest incursion into Lebanon in more than a quarter century. Trump said there would be no Israeli troops "going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way, have already been turned back."
The president said Hezbollah had "agreed that all shooting will stop -- That Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel."
Netanyahu confirmed the conversation but cast it less as restraint and more as a warning, saying he told Trump that Israel would strike targets in Beirut if Hezbollah's attacks do not stop. The Israeli military will continue "to operate as planned" in southern Lebanon, Netanyahu added.
There was no immediate word from Hezbollah.
The two sides have been under a ceasefire since mid-April, but the militant group resumed attacks after Israeli strikes in Lebanon. The fighting also presents a major obstacle in the emerging deal to extend the ceasefire in the Iran war. Tehran wants any agreement to include Lebanon.
Lebanese authorities secured Hezbollah's approval of a proposal by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Israel would not strike Beirut's southern suburbs, and Hezbollah would not attack northern Israel, according to a statement issued by the Lebanese Embassy to the U.S.
Moments after Trump's message, Israel detected missile launches from Lebanon and warned Israelis in part of northern Israel to take cover.
The agreement comes ahead of talks between Israel and Lebanon scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in Washington, where Lebanese negotiators hope to widen the scope of areas that will not be attacked in the country as they seek a complete ceasefire.
Trump's comments emerged after Israel's government ordered strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut and as Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel, including the outskirts of the coastal city of Haifa.
An airstrike Monday afternoon in the port city of Tyre caused heavy damage to the Jabal Amel Hospital, the Health Ministry said. A video released by the ministry showed shaken women and children inside the hospital, where windows were blown out.