Israel has paused its major airstrikes on Lebanon following a direct request from U.S. President Donald Trump to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to reports. The move comes amid a fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which went into effect earlier this week.

Trump confirmed during an interview that he had asked Netanyahu for a more restrained campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, describing the conflict there as a "separate skirmish" from the U.S.-Iran truce. U.S. officials were reportedly stunned by the scale of Israeli strikes on April 8 and 9, which targeted over 100 sites in Beirut and southern Lebanon, killing more than 250 people. Those attacks marked the deadliest day in the ongoing clashes with the Iran-backed militant group.

Netanyahu's office stated that Israel supports the U.S.-Iran ceasefire but emphasized that it does not apply to operations against Hezbollah. However, following Trump's intervention and calls from U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, Israel agreed to direct peace talks with Lebanon set for next week in Washington. A senior Israeli official indicated that strikes would scale down ahead of the negotiations, with the IDF holding off on attacks in Beirut's southern suburbs amid U.S. pressure.

Despite the pause in major operations, limited exchanges continued today. Hezbollah fired around 30 rockets at northern Israel, prompting IDF strikes on launch sites in southern Lebanon. No major casualties were reported from these latest incidents. The Israeli military stated it killed 1,400 Hezbollah fighters since the war's escalation, while Lebanon reported 1,800 total deaths.

The U.S.-Iran ceasefire, mediated partly by Pakistan, requires Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and halt attacks, but tensions persist as Tehran insists the truce covers Lebanon. Vice President JD Vance is heading to Islamabad today for initial peace talks, warning Iran against gamesmanship. European nations, including France and the UK, have criticized Israel's recent strikes as violations risking the broader truce.

Netanyahu aims for the upcoming talks to achieve Hezbollah's disarmament and a long-term peace deal with Lebanon. Trump has reiterated support for Israel's security while pushing for de-escalation to protect diplomatic progress with Iran. Oil prices remained elevated today due to lingering uncertainty over the Strait.

The developments reflect Trump's balancing act between backing Israel and advancing U.S. interests in the region following intense airstrikes on Iran.