Trump Claims Israel-Hezbollah Halt, Iran Talks Resume Amid Clashes

President Donald Trump announced Monday that Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to halt attacks after he spoke directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and through intermediaries with Hezbollah representatives. The move comes as US-led efforts to secure a broader ceasefire with Iran show signs of strain and as Congress prepares to question administration officials on the costs of the ongoing conflict.

Trump posted on Truth Social that both sides had committed to stopping the shooting, with Israel refraining from strikes on Beirut and Hezbollah ending rocket fire into northern Israel. He added that Netanyahu had agreed to pull back forces positioned for an assault on the Lebanese capital. Lebanese officials described the arrangement as an exchange in which Hezbollah would cease attacks in return for an end to Israeli operations against the city and its southern suburbs.

Netanyahu confirmed discussions with Trump but stated that Israel would proceed with strikes on Beirut if Hezbollah launches further attacks. The announcement follows weeks of renewed clashes that tested an earlier fragile truce reached in April. Iranian officials have tied any final deal with Washington to an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, raising the stakes for the indirect talks now underway.

The developments arrive as Secretary of State Marco Rubio prepares to testify before multiple congressional committees this week on the State Department budget and the administration’s handling of the Iran conflict. Lawmakers from both parties have signaled interest in limiting presidential war powers, citing mounting expenses and disruptions to global energy routes caused by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has said he is indifferent to whether stalled negotiations resume, describing them as increasingly tedious.

Reports also surfaced of a heated private exchange between Trump and Netanyahu, in which the president reportedly expressed frustration over continued Israeli operations in Lebanon and their effect on broader diplomatic efforts. Publicly, Trump described the call as productive.

Separately, an analysis of TikTok content during the spring fighting indicated the platform’s algorithm reduced exposure for pro-American posts while amplifying material favorable to Tehran. Researchers tracking thousands of videos found the disparity unlikely to occur by chance, highlighting how younger Americans receive information about the conflict.

The administration continues to press demands that Iran dismantle its nuclear program and reopen the strait before any memorandum of understanding receives final approval. With midterms approaching, the outcome of these talks and any enforcement of the new Lebanon arrangement will determine whether the US can extract itself from another extended Middle East commitment without further draining American resources.