Saudi Arabia welcomes Trump’s Lebanon ceasefire announcement

The Saudi foreign ministry welcomed on Thursday the announcement by US President Donald Trump of a ceasefire in Lebanon.

The ministry commended the “significant positive role played by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the Lebanese government led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri” in achieving the ceasefire.

“The Kingdom reiterates its support for the Lebanese state in asserting sovereignty, ensuring that weapons remain exclusively in the hands of the state and its legitimate institutions, as well as for the reform steps it has taken and its efforts to preserve Lebanon’s capabilities and the safety and unity of its territory,” it added in a statement.

Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a ceasefire Thursday, and said he was trying to set up the first-ever meeting between the leaders of the two countries.

Following what he called “excellent” phone calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Trump said the truce would begin within hours.

“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,” or 2100 GMT, Trump said on his Truth Social network.

Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East war on March 2 after the Lebanon-based armed group Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, attacked Israel.

Since then, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than a million, and Israeli ground forces have invaded the country’s south.