by WorldTribune Staff, April 16, 2026 Non-AI Real World News
President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire Thursday and said he had invited the leaders of both nations to Washington for the “first meaningful” peace talks between the often-at-war foes in more than 40 years.
Weakened by U.S. and Israeli bombardment, Iran has turned to proxies to continue the fight. One of the most effective is Hizbullah which has long effectively controlled Lebanon, projecting Iran’s intent to use it as a frontline state against Israel.
Any conversation regarding “lasting peace” between Israel and Lebanon, Middle East watchers say, must include Hizbullah. Following the April 7 ceasefire in the Iran conflict, expanded fighting between Israel and Hizbullah threatened to scuttle the tentative agreement.
Geostrategy-Direct.com reported on April 14 that the Lebanon government has thus far failed in its vow to disarm the Iran-backed terrorist organization.
Trump wrote in a post to Truth Social:
“I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel. These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5 P.M. EST. On Tuesday, the two Countries met for the first time in 34 years here in Washington, D.C., with our Great Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
“I have directed Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Rubio, together with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Razin’ Caine, to work with Israel and Lebanon to achieve a Lasting PEACE. It has been my Honor to solve 9 Wars across the World, and this will be my 10th, so let’s, GET IT DONE! President DONALD J. TRUMP”.
Trump added in later post to Truth Social:
“In addition to the statement just issued, I will be inviting the Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, and the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, to the White House for the first meaningful talks between Israel and Lebanon since 1983, a very long time ago. Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly! President DONALD J. TRUMP”.
While the Lebanese government has increased pressure and passed a resolution to bring Hizbullah’s weapons under state control, the terror organization rejects all disarmament timelines and maintains its arsenal, the report said.
Related: Meanwhile in Lebanon: Hizbullah has still not been disarmed; Seen as brigade of IRGC, April 14, 2026
A source was quoted by Al-Ain saying that “Hizbullah has turned Lebanon into a military arena directly subordinate to the decision of the Supreme Leader.”
Hizbullah “has practically become a brigade of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, directly managed by the Guard’s leadership, and has provided field sites on Lebanese territory to establish military structures and missile bases belonging to Iran, operating according to its decisions,” the source said.
In 2005, Hizbullah was likely involved in murdering former Lebanese prime minister Rafic Hariri.
Related: Court finds Hizbullah member guilty in 2005 murder of Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hariri, August 20, 2020
The attention now turns to direct talks between the Lebanese government and Israel at the U.S. State Department.
According to Lebanese strategic analyst retired Brig. Gen. Nahi Jabran: “What contributes to the success of these talks is that they will be held with international, European, and Arab backing and under direct American sponsorship, which may lead to solutions satisfactory to both parties, with the support of our Arab brothers and with more European and American pressure.”
The key issue is that Lebanon wants to see Israel withdraw from Lebanese territory and the border demarcation. Some want compensation for the destruction in the south. More than a million Lebanese remain displaced, the Geostrategy-Direct.com report noted.
Hizbullah, meanwhile, insists on keeping Lebanon as a “bargaining chip in the hands of the Iranian project,” a source said.
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