President Donald Trump said Monday that he communicated with Hezbollah through intermediaries, securing a commitment the Iran-aligned militia would not attack Israel. Trump also confirmed a separate conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who agreed to pull back troops preparing to strike southern Lebanon.
This marks the first time a U.S. president has engaged with Hezbollah, designated a terrorist organization by Washington. A Lebanese official confirmed to Reuters that Hezbollah signaled willingness to halt attacks on northern Israel, provided Israel spares Beirut and its suburbs from strikes. The conflict has displaced over 1.2 million Lebanese since March 2, when Hezbollah escalated rocket and drone fire in support of Iran.