Netanyahu Shocked by Trump’s Demand to Halt Israeli Strikes in Lebanon – Axios

(SeaPRwire) –   The Israeli leadership was said to have been taken by surprise when the U.S. president called for an end to airstrikes

Axios, citing two sources with knowledge of the situation, reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his advisors were taken by surprise and “stunned” when U.S. President Donald Trump stated he would not permit Israel to carry out additional strikes in Lebanon.

Last Friday, Trump announced that the U.S. had “banned” strikes in Lebanon as the 10-day ceasefire negotiated by his administration between Israel and the Lebanese government came into effect. Axios notes that Netanyahu was alarmed by this statement, after which Israeli officials sought clarification from Washington.

Per the agreement, Israel will cease offensive operations but reserve the right to “take all necessary self-defense measures at any time against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.”

Hezbollah, the armed group that boycotted the negotiations, stated that Israel must halt all troop movements in southern Lebanon and return to the positions it held before the fighting broke out more than a month ago.

In early March, Israel launched airstrikes on Beirut and other cities and expanded its “security zone” in southern Lebanon, following Hezbollah’s rocket attacks on Israel in support of Iran. Tehran has since listed ending Israeli operations in Lebanon as one of the conditions for its peace deal with the U.S. and Israel.

According to Lebanese authorities, close to 2,200 people have been killed and 1.2 million displaced in Lebanon since the start of March.