Hezbollah, Israel trade additional blows following Trump’s Lebanon ceasefire declaration

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call Monday evening to discuss the escalating situation in Lebanon, with Hezbollah and the IDF increasingly trading blows, despite the start of a ceasefire in mid-April. 

Following that phone call, President Trump claimed to have prevented an Israeli “raid” of Beirut and claimed that Israel and Hezbollah agreed to stop hostilities. 

“I had a conversation with Bibi Netanyahu today, asking him not to go into a major raid of Beirut, Lebanon,” Trump wrote to his Truth Social account. “He turned his Troops around. Thank you, Bibi!” 

Trump also said he spoke with Hezbollah representatives, claiming they agreed to stop attacking Israel. 

“I also had a conversation with Representatives of the Leaders of Hezbollah, and they agreed to stop shooting at Israel and its soldiers. Likewise, Israel agreed to stop shooting at them. Let’s see how long that lasts — Hopefully it will be for ETERNITY!” 

Trump is likely referring to Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri, who previously claimed that Hezbollah is committed to a comprehensive and immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, despite continued rocket and drone attacks by the terror organization. 

Following Trump’s announcement, the Lebanese embassy in Washington said that Hezbollah had agreed to the U.S. proposal for a “mutual cessation of attacks.” 

“In continuation of the Lebanese state's endeavors to preserve stability and spare Lebanon further escalation, and following the call between President Joseph Aoun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Lebanese authorities received confirmation of Hizbollah's acceptance of the U.S. proposal,” the Lebanese Embassy in Washington said in a statement on its official Facebook page. 

The embassy said the ceasefire could create “an opportunity for the ceasefire framework to be expanded to encompass all Lebanese territory.” 

Lebanese lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah, a representative of Hezbollah’s political arm, told the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar that the ceasefire covers the entire country of Lebanon. 

Prime Minister Netanyahu did not immediately react to Trump’s announcement, although shortly after, his office released a statement saying that Netanyahu told Trump Israel would strike Beirut if Hezbollah continues to attack Israeli targets. 

“I spoke this evening with President Trump and told him that if Hezbollah does not stop firing at our cities and citizens – Israel will strike terrorist targets in Beirut,” Netanyahu said. “This position of ours remain unchanged.” 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
“I spoke this evening with President Trump and told him that if Hezbollah does not stop firing at our cities and citizens – Israel will strike terrorist targets in Beirut.

This position of ours remain unchanged.

Concurrently, the IDF will…

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) June 1, 2026

However, Netanyahu appeared to deny reports from Lebanon that the ceasefire would cover the entire country. 

“Concurrently, the IDF will continue to operate as planned in southern Lebanon,” Netanyahu stated. 

Despite the announcement of a ceasefire, air raid sirens continued to sound in northern Israel as Hezbollah launched additional rocket attacks. Lebanese media also reported Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon. The IDF also announced that Israeli troops had been targeted by Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks after the declared ceasefire. 

Shortly before the ceasefire announcement, IDF medical officer Cpt. Dr. Ori Yosef Silvester, 30, was killed in a Hezbollah drone attack, which also injured three other soldiers.  

Following the announcement of the ceasefire by Trump, Israeli politicians from across the political spectrum criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu for capitulating to Trump while ignoring Israel’s critical security interests. 

Opposition head Yair Lapid said that Israel had become a “full on protectorate state” in a post to social media. 

Former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, who is leading the Yashar (Straight) party in the upcoming elections

“There has never been a prime minister in Israel who accepted such a humiliating demand, one that is blatantly unreasonable!” Eisenkot wrote. “Hezbollah is an enemy both in Dahiyeh of Beirut, and in Baalbek, everywhere Hezbollah is deployed—we must strike at it, and not tie the hands of the IDF.” 

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said the time had come for Netanyahu to tell President Trump, “No.” 

“Mr. Prime Minister, You said that a strong prime minister tells the President of the United States—'yes' when possible, and 'no'—when necessary,” Ben Gvir wrote to his social media account. “This is the time to tell our friend, President Trump—‘no.’” 

“Now is the time to do what is required and necessary to strike Hezbollah, to unleash the hands of our fighters, and to restore security to the north.”