Hezbollah Accepts US Proposal for Mutual Ceasefire with Israel, Says Lebanese Presidency

Beirut, June 2026 : Lebanon has announced a potentially significant breakthrough in efforts to calm escalating hostilities along its southern border, with authorities confirming that Hezbollah has agreed to a United States-backed proposal for a mutual cessation of attacks with Israel.

According to a statement issued by the Lebanese presidency on Monday, the development followed diplomatic contacts involving Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Lebanese officials in Washington. The proposal aims to halt the cycle of attacks and counterattacks that has intensified in recent months and raised fears of a wider regional conflict.

The statement, citing information from the Lebanese embassy in Washington, said the US initiative calls for a reciprocal suspension of military operations by both Israel and Hezbollah. Under the initial phase of the arrangement, Israeli airstrikes targeting Beirut’s southern suburbs—an area regarded as a Hezbollah stronghold—would cease. In return, Hezbollah would stop launching attacks against Israeli targets.

The proposed ceasefire framework is expected to be expanded gradually to cover all Lebanese territory if the initial phase is successfully implemented.

Lebanese officials said the diplomatic effort gained momentum after US President Donald Trump reportedly informed Lebanon’s ambassador to Washington, Nada Hamadeh Mouawad, that he had secured the approval of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the proposal. Mouawad subsequently relayed the information to President Aoun, who then communicated the development to Hezbollah leadership.

Negotiations are expected to continue over the coming days, with meetings scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday aimed at finalising the details and strengthening the progress already achieved.

The announcement came as Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, one of the country’s most influential Shia political leaders and a close ally of Hezbollah, publicly backed a comprehensive ceasefire initiative. According to a report by Axios, Berri informed the Trump administration that Hezbollah was prepared to commit fully and immediately to a ceasefire with Israel and that he was willing to guarantee its implementation.

Ali Hamdan, Berri’s senior adviser, said he had conveyed the message directly to US ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa. The proposal outlined by Berri reportedly includes a complete halt to military activity on land, at sea, and in the air. It also calls on Israel to stop demolishing homes in southern Lebanon, an issue that has generated significant concern among local residents.

Despite the apparent progress, questions remain regarding the viability of the proposal. According to the Axios report, some US and Israeli officials are uncertain whether Netanyahu will ultimately endorse the arrangement and whether Berri can ensure Hezbollah’s full compliance with any agreement reached.

The diplomatic developments unfolded against a backdrop of renewed violence. Earlier on Monday, Netanyahu and Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered strikes on Beirut’s Dahieh district following an increase in Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks targeting Israeli military positions.

The Israeli military said a military doctor was killed and seven soldiers were wounded after two explosive drones launched by Hezbollah struck Israeli forces simultaneously.

Meanwhile, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran had suspended indirect exchanges of messages with Washington through mediators, citing Israeli military actions in Lebanon.

The coming days are expected to be crucial as negotiators attempt to transform the tentative understanding into a formal ceasefire and prevent further escalation in the region.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)