United States President Donald Trump has announced a diplomatic breakthrough aimed at reducing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah amid escalating tensions in Lebanon.
According to Trump, he urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to withdraw Israeli troops from Beirut, the Lebanese capital, and also held discussions with representatives of Hezbollah, who he said “agreed to ceasefire” against Israeli forces.
However, Israel’s position appears more cautious. The office of Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that military operations against Beirut would continue if Hezbollah maintains attacks against Israeli communities.
According to the statement, Netanyahu informed Trump that Israel would continue to target threats against “our cities and citizens,” while its military would “act as intended in southern Lebanon.”
The latest developments follow diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing the conflict in Lebanon from expanding further and reaching the capital city.
Despite Trump’s announcement, uncertainty remains over the durability of the arrangement, with Israeli officials maintaining that any understanding remains conditional and dependent on Hezbollah’s actions.
Meanwhile, large scale protests have erupted across Israel as tens of thousands of ultra Orthodox Jews demonstrated against compulsory military service.
The protests disrupted major highways and rail services in Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, causing significant transportation challenges.
Some protesters carried placards bearing messages including: “We would prefer to perish as Jews than to exist as Zionists” and “We refuse to serve an army for the benefit of the Zionist faith.”
Military service remains mandatory for most Jewish men and women in Israel. However, ultra Orthodox communities have historically benefited from exemptions that allowed members to pursue religious studies instead of military service.
Those exemptions are increasingly under pressure as Israel faces manpower shortages while engaged in multiple security operations. The military is reportedly seeking to extend compulsory service requirements to address personnel demands.
Under current regulations, most Jewish men serve nearly three years in the military followed by reserve duties, while Jewish women are generally required to serve for two years.
