Sen. Lindsey Graham warns Israel-Lebanon ceasefire could 'throw Hezbollah a lifeline'
Sen. Lindsey Graham criticized a new 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon announced by President Trump on Thursday. The South Carolina Republican said the deal could 'throw Hezbollah a lifeline' instead of bringing real peace.
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire to stop fighting with Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group.
Sen. Lindsey Graham quickly pushed back on the deal. 'While I appreciate every effort to bring peace through diplomacy in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon, we have to be realistic about the situation on the ground,' Graham wrote on X. He warned the agreement could help Hezbollah instead of weakening it.
The ceasefire comes after more than a year of conflict that escalated from near-daily Israeli strikes. A previous ceasefire in November 2024 had failed to stop the violence completely.
Hezbollah said Israel's presence on Lebanese land gives Lebanon 'the right to resist it.' The group wants a full ceasefire, not just a pause in fighting. This stance could make the current deal harder to maintain.
The fighting involves Israel defending against attacks while Hezbollah launches strikes from Lebanon with support from Iran.
This ceasefire could pause fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah, but disagreements among U.S. leaders show the deal faces challenges. If it fails, the conflict could restart and spread across the Middle East.
Watch whether both sides honor the 10-day ceasefire and if it leads to longer-term peace talks.
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