JERUSALEM -- A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect at midnight between Thursday and Friday local time (2100 GMT), following an earlier announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The truce aims to end more than a month of deadly escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, which has claimed over 2,000 lives.
In a statement, Israel's military said that it struck more than 380 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon over the past day, including militants, launchers and headquarters.(Israel-Lebanon-Ceasefire)
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UNITED NATIONS -- While aid cargo is entering Gaza, restrictions on "dual-use" items, including equipment to dispose of unexploded ordnance, continue to constrain the relief response, UN humanitarians said Thursday.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said limitations on the entry of items classified as dual-use or non-humanitarian remain a major obstacle, particularly for bomb clearing, demining and recovery efforts. Equipment required to clear unexploded ordnance has not been approved for entry, despite mounting risks to civilians and aid workers. (UN-Gaza-Aid)
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WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House "over the next week or two."
"I think we're going to have a meeting," Trump told reporters at the White House, noting the talks would be the first in 44 years and a potential deal would include Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.
"I think we will have an agreement between Lebanon, and they're going to take care of Hezbollah," Trump said. (US-Trump-Israel-Lebanon-Talks)
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HELSINKI -- The Finnish government has revised its public wording on the United States in a new security policy report submitted to parliament on Thursday, describing U.S. policies as "unpredictable."
Speaking at a press conference, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen characterized the current U.S. approach to Europe as "transaction-type," saying it is affecting transatlantic relations.
The report states that the United States is increasingly assessing its allies based on the benefits they bring to Washington. It adds that Finland must demonstrate its reliability, strengthen its defense capabilities, and commit to higher defense spending in the current environment. (Finland-U.S.-Security) ■
