Trump extends ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon for three more weeks amid Iran peace talks

President Trump extended the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon for another three weeks as the United States seeks to resume peace talks with Iran.

Trump made this statement after hosting an Oval Office meeting between ‘senior representatives’ of Israel and Lebanon.

‘The United States will work with Lebanon to help it defend itself from Hezbollah. Trump stated on Truth Social that the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will be extended for THREE WEEKS.

Israel’s ongoing military campaign in southern Lebanon has been just one of the biggest obstacles to ending the hostilities between Iran and the United States.

Also at the meeting were Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Israeli Ambassador Mike Huckabee and Lebanese Ambassador Michel Issa.

Trump added that he looked forward to meeting in person with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun “in the near future.”

President Trump extends fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon for another three weeks as the United States seeks to resume peace talks with Iran

Despite the ceasefire, on Wednesday morning Iran was seen seizing two ships and destroying the third in the Strait of Hormuz.

The latest war started when Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel two days after Israel and the United States attacked Iran. Israel responded with a large-scale bombardment of Lebanon and a ground offensive that captured dozens of towns and villages along the border.

The Israeli army currently occupies a buffer zone extending 10 kilometers (6 miles) into southern Lebanon. Israel says it aims to eliminate the threat of short-range rockets and anti-tank missiles being fired into northern Israel.

Hezbollah rejected these talks. Vefik SafaA senior member of the militant group’s political council told The Associated Press that it would not abide by any agreements made during direct talks.

Despite this, the talks are an important step for the two countries, which have been officially at war since Israel was founded in 1948 and do not have diplomatic relations.

The Lebanese government hopes the talks will pave the way for a permanent end to the war. While Iran requires an end to the wars in Lebanon and the region as a condition for negotiations with the United States, Lebanon insists on representing itself.

There have been numerous violations by both sides since the ceasefire came into force last week.

Shortly before the president’s Truth Social post, the Pentagon released video showing US marines boarding the Majestic X oil tanker in the Indian Ocean.

Trump is stepping up pressure to prevent Iran from using the Strait of Hormuz, demanding the US Navy ‘shoot down and kill’ any Iranian boat that mines the Persian Gulf.

Masked warriors are seen running towards the MSC-Francesca using a gunboat before climbing onto its hull with rifles strapped to their backs.

Meanwhile on Thursday Embers stepped up efforts to cut Iranian Preventing the US Navy from using the Strait of Hormuz by demanding that it ‘shoot down and kill’ any Iranian boat that mines the Persian Gulf.

The President wrote on Truth Social on Thursday morning: ‘I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, no matter how small, that lays mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz (ALL of the Navy ships, 159 of them at the bottom of the sea!).

‘There should be no hesitation. Additionally, our minesweepers are currently clearing the Bosphorus. ‘I hereby order that this activity should continue, but in a tripled manner!’

US forces also seized another tanker caught smuggling regime oil, just a day after Tehran seized two ships.

Shortly before the president’s inauguration, the Pentagon released videos showing US marines boarding the Iranian oil tanker Majestic X in the Indian Ocean. It was reported that the ship was carrying oil produced by the Iranian regime.

“We will continue global maritime sanctions to disrupt illicit networks and interdict ships providing material support to Iran wherever they operate,” the Pentagon wrote to X.

The Pentagon warned that sanctioned actors will not be able to use international waters as cover and vowed to continue preventing ‘illegal actors and their ships’ from operating freely at sea.

Global oil prices began to rise rapidly on Thursday as concerns grew that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran could be broken. The price of Brent crude oil rose 1.3 percent to over $103 per barrel on Thursday morning.