Overview
- The 10-day halt took effect at midnight Friday in Beirut, with Israel and Hezbollah saying they will observe the pause brokered by the United States to open the way for negotiations.
- The State Department published the full text that says Israel and Lebanon are not in a state of war and assigns the United States to facilitate direct talks toward a permanent agreement.
- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the truce starts a new phase to pursue permanent accords, calling direct negotiations a sovereign decision rather than a concession.
- Parallel diplomacy with Iran is advancing, with reports of a proposal to release about $20 billion in frozen funds if Tehran gives up enriched uranium and accepts a voluntary enrichment pause, as President Trump said a deal could be close.
- European leaders met in Paris to plan a defensive multinational mission to keep shipping safe in the Strait of Hormuz once hostilities end, signaling a wider push to protect global trade routes.