Trump announces Israel-Lebanon ceasefire claiming he solved a 10th war: ‘does it count if he helped start it?’
The pattern is hard to ignore.
President Donald Trump just announced a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, claiming it as the 10th war he has solved. The deal follows a meeting between the two nations’ ambassadors in Washington in their first high-level talks since 1993. But the timing and Trump’s involvement have raised eyebrows, especially since he’s been accused of enabling the conflict in the first place.
According to Raw Story, on Truth Social, Trump posted that he had “excellent conversations” with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, framing the ceasefire as his personal achievement. He added, “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. On Tuesday, the two Countries met for the first time in 34 years here in Washington, D.C., with our Great Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.”
His post went on to say, “I have directed Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Rubio, together with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Razin’ Caine, to work with Israel and Lebanon to achieve a Lasting PEACE. It has been my Honor to solve 9 Wars across the World, and this will be my 10th, so let’s, GET IT DONE! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
Trump framed the situation as a done deal, deliberately leaving out crucial information
The announcement came just a day after Rubio hosted the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors for their first face-to-face meeting in over three decades. But Lebanese officials quickly pushed back, with Aoun telling Rubio he wouldn’t speak to Netanyahu until a ceasefire was in place. That detail didn’t make it into Trump’s celebratory post, which painted the deal as a done deal rather than an ongoing negotiation.
In a follow-up post, the president stated, “In addition to the statement just issued, I will be inviting the Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, and the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, to the White House for the first meaningful talks between Israel and Lebanon since 1983, a very long time ago. Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
What’s missing from Trump’s victory lap is the role he played in escalating the conflict. Just days before the ceasefire announcement, Netanyahu secured Trump’s backing for continued airstrikes on Lebanon. According to reports, Trump gave Netanyahu the green light during a call where the latter expressed frustration that Israel wasn’t included in ceasefire talks with Iran. Shortly after, Israel launched a massive air operation, hitting roughly 100 targets in Lebanon in minutes.
That wasn’t the first time Trump has enabled Israeli aggression
According to the Middle East Monitor, in January, Netanyahu told his cabinet that Trump had given him the go-ahead for a potential attack on Lebanon during a meeting at Mar-a-Lago. At the time, Israeli officials claimed Hezbollah had been rebuilding its capabilities during a fragile ceasefire, and Trump’s administration reportedly didn’t rule out military action. Netanyahu was only asked to delay the operation to allow for more diplomacy, a request that clearly didn’t hold.
Trump’s administration has repeatedly sided with Netanyahu’s military ambitions, even as critics argue that Israel’s strategy lacks a clear political endgame. Opposition leader Yair Lapid has pointed out that while the war initially had broad support, prolonged fighting and mounting casualties have eroded confidence in Netanyahu’s ability to deliver results.
Netanyahu has called the war a strategic necessity
Netanyahu has framed the war on Lebanon as a strategic necessity, but his objectives keep shifting. Early on, the goal was to dismantle Hezbollah’s military capabilities, but as the conflict dragged on, the focus expanded to creating buffer zones and pressuring Lebanon’s government to disarm the group. The problem? Lebanon’s government has shown little ability or willingness to confront Hezbollah, leaving Israel with few options beyond continued military action.
Trump’s claim that he’s solved a 10th war rings hollow when you consider how deeply he’s been involved in fueling it. The ceasefire itself is fragile. Netanyahu has already said Israel will continue military operations if rockets are fired from Lebanon, and expectations for a lasting peace deal remain low.
Analysts warn that without a clear political roadmap, the region could slip back into a cycle of escalation. Trump’s involvement might have brought the two sides to the table, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that he also helped keep the war going.
For now, the 10-day ceasefire is a rare moment of calm in a conflict that’s dragged on for years. Whether it leads to something more permanent or just another temporary pause before the next round of fighting remains to be seen. One thing’s for sure: if Trump gets his way, he’ll be taking credit either way.
(Featured image: Megaphone)
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