Beirut, Lebanon – In a statement marked by its decisive and historic tone, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut declared that the upcoming meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, under the auspices of President Donald Trump, represents a “turning point” for Lebanon in restoring its full sovereignty.
The embassy emphasized that these direct negotiations will provide Beirut with tangible guarantees, backed by the United States. These guarantees will also help secure the borders and restore state authority over every inch of its territory.
“The time for hesitation is over”: An American call for renaissance
In a statement posted on its X platform on Thursday, the embassy explained that the Lebanese people have an opportunity to shape their future as a truly independent nation. It also noted that the extended ceasefire, requested personally by Trump, has given Lebanon the space to present its legitimate demands.
The statement emphasized that “the time for hesitation is over,” and that Washington is ready to support Lebanon in seizing this opportunity with confidence and wisdom. This support will focus particularly on reconstruction and humanitarian aid.
Trump tells Netanyahu: “Surgical” operations, not destruction
This development coincided with notable statements by President Donald Trump to Axios, in which he revealed that he had told Netanyahu he needed to limit military operations to “surgery-like” ones and avoid a full-scale war.
Trump criticized the demolition of buildings, saying, “He can’t do that; it makes Israel look bad.”
Trump added that Lebanon could recover once the influence of Iran and its proxies, which he said had caused the country’s destruction, was neutralized.
Aoun and internal coordination for negotiations
For his part, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun affirmed his country’s readiness to begin negotiations as soon as Washington sets a date. During his meeting with a delegation from economic bodies, Aoun emphasized his complete commitment to coordination and consultation with the Speaker of Parliament and the Prime Minister at every step of this sensitive process.
These developments come after a series of high-level talks in Washington. This suggests that a final agreement to end the escalation is imminent, amid international anticipation of the outcome of the Aoun-Netanyahu summit, under direct US auspices and with promises to guarantee Lebanese sovereignty.
