Trump 'would welcome' an end to hostilities in Lebanon

US President Donald Trump would welcome an end to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, a senior US official told Anadolu on Wednesday.

Washington maintains that Lebanon is not included in its peace negotiations with Iran, the official said, adding: “This is not something we have asked for.”

Iran has claimed that its ceasefire with the US also covered Lebanon and accused Israel of violating it.

"The president would welcome the end of hostilities in Lebanon as part of a peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon," the official said.

The remarks came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted a meeting between Israeli and Lebanese diplomats on Tuesday, during which the possibility of a ceasefire was raised, according to the Axios news site.

Both the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors said they would consult their governments and return with responses, a US source told Axios. The proposal included confidence-building measures from both sides.

Trump said last week that he asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reduce strikes on Lebanon and was told Israel would be "scaling back" operations.

"I spoke with Bibi, and he's going to low-key it," Trump told NBC News, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname.

Israel has killed at least 2,124 people and injured nearly 7,000 in a deadly offensive across Lebanon since March 2 following a cross-border attack by the Hezbollah group, despite a 2024 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.

Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some for decades and others since the previous conflict between October 2023 and November the following year.