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The Times of Israel is liveblogging Friday’s events as they unfold.
Trump says Netanyahu and Lebanese president to meet in DC ‘over the next couple weeks’
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun will be coming to Washington “over the next couple of weeks.
Trump makes the announcement while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office after wrapping up the second round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon during which the sides agreed to extend a ceasefire by three weeks.
Trump claimed earlier this month that Netanyahu and Aoun would speak on the phone — something that didn’t end up happening.
He later claimed that the two leaders would meet together at the White House.
It’s unclear whether Aoun will actually agree to speak or meet with Netanyahu in light of the threats he is facing from Hezbollah.
While an extended ceasefire may make such a meeting more likely, Aoun is sure to face pushback to the idea as long as Israel maintains a large buffer zone in southern Lebanon.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump touts the “historic” meeting that just unfolded, declaring that the two sides like each other.
“We think that the president of Lebanon and the prime Minister of Israel, over the next couple of weeks will be coming here,” Trump says.
“They’ve agreed to an additional three weeks of ceasefire.”
“We’re going to be working with Lebanon to get things straightened out in that country.”
Trump expresses his hope that Lebanon can be stabilized “simultaneously with what we’re doing in Iran.”
Trump announces 3-week extension of truce between Israel and Hezbollah
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump announces that the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been extended by three weeks.
Trump makes the announcement after participating in the second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon at the White House.
Two days after the first round of talks was held on April 14, the US announced a ten-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the latter of which dragged Lebanon into the Iran war by firing rockets at Israel on March 2.
Trump declares the ceasefire extension in a statement posted to his Truth Social account while the meeting is still ongoing.
“The meeting went very well!” Trump writes in a post.
“The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah,” he says, without elaborating.
“The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will be extended by THREE WEEKS,” he says.
“I look forward in the near future to hosting the Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, and the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun,” Trump says, without specifying if he plans to meet with the two leaders together.
IDF says it killed 3 Hezbollah operatives who fired anti-aircraft missile at Israeli drone
The IDF says it struck and killed three Hezbollah operatives who fired an anti-aircraft missile at an Israeli drone over southern Lebanon earlier today.
According to the military, the attempt to shoot down the drone was unsuccessful.
חיל-האוויר תקף וחיסל מוקדם יותר היום, שלושה מחבלים מארגון הטרור חיזבאללה, ששיגרו טיל קרקע-אוויר לעבר כלי-טיס של חיל-האוויר ללא הצלחה. באירוע נוסף, מחבלים שיגרו רחפן נפץ לעבר כוחות צה"ל הפועלים בדרום לבנון. זמן קצר לאחר מכן, צה"ל תקף תשתיות טרור במרחב. pic.twitter.com/sazwRfA7EG — Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) April 23, 2026
חיל-האוויר תקף וחיסל מוקדם יותר היום, שלושה מחבלים מארגון הטרור חיזבאללה, ששיגרו טיל קרקע-אוויר לעבר כלי-טיס של חיל-האוויר ללא הצלחה.
באירוע נוסף, מחבלים שיגרו רחפן נפץ לעבר כוחות צה"ל הפועלים בדרום לבנון. זמן קצר לאחר מכן, צה"ל תקף תשתיות טרור במרחב. pic.twitter.com/sazwRfA7EG
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) April 23, 2026
In a separate incident, the IDF says Hezbollah attacked troops operating in southern Lebanon with an explosive-laden drone.
One reservist soldier was lightly injured in the incident. The IDF says it struck Hezbollah sites in the area in response.
In another incident, Hezbollah fired several rockets at troops operating in the Aynata area, adjacent to Bint Jbeil. The IDF says that some of the rockets struck next to troops, but no injuries were caused.
Additionally, the IDF says it struck and destroyed two primed Hezbollah rocket launchers in southern Lebanon today.
The IDF says Hezbollah’s attacks are “blatant violations of the ceasefire understandings.”
Second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon begins at White House
WASHINGTON — The second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon has commenced at the White House, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
US President Donald Trump is scheduled to briefly take part in the meeting.
Hezbollah says it launched rockets in response to alleged Israeli shelling of south Lebanon town
Hezbollah takes responsibility for the rocket barrage on the northern border community of Shtula a short while ago.
In a statement, the terror group says the rocket attack comes as a response to an Israeli violation of the ceasefire when it allegedly carried out artillery shelling in the southern Lebanese town of Yater earlier.
Hezbollah has taken responsibility for five other attacks on Israeli forces stationed in southern Lebanon today, despite the ceasefire.
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