Trump: Hezbollah sought end to fighting

U.S. President Donald Trump said on June 4 that Hezbollah had contacted the United States seeking to halt hostilities in Lebanon, despite the group's public rejection of a proposed U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement.

“Hezbollah called us and said, ‘How about stopping?’” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Trump linked the situation in Lebanon to broader regional developments involving Iran and expressed hope that the country could achieve lasting stability after decades of conflict.

“It would be really nice if Lebanon could have some peace,” he said. “Lebanon's been under attack for so many years.”

The comments came amid renewed efforts to preserve a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. Israeli and Lebanese officials recently announced the creation of "pilot" security zones inside Lebanon where Hezbollah operatives would be prohibited from operating. The arrangement also calls for Hezbollah to halt attacks on Israel.

However, Hezbollah has strongly rejected the terms of the proposed agreement. In a sharply worded statement, the group's leader, Naim Qassem, described the negotiations as "futile" and "humiliating" for Lebanon and said the proposal had been categorically rejected by "broad segments of the Lebanese people."

Despite the public disagreement, Trump later said he had held discussions with both Hezbollah and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and suggested that diplomatic efforts were advancing.

By Sabina Mammadli