Updated April 16, 2026 at 7:21 PM CDT
Attention turned to Lebanon Thursday night to see if a new ceasefire, announced by President Trump, would pause the fighting by Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
Israel and Lebanon agreed to the 10-day ceasefire, but Israel vowed to keep its forces in southern Lebanon, saying it would attack if threatened by Hezbollah.
Iran has said it would not engage in negotiations with the United States unless Israel entered into a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Trump sounded optimistic again about negotiations with Iran, and even told reporters he "might" go to Pakistan if there was a peace deal to sign.
"They've agreed to give us back the nuclear dust that's way underground because of the attack that we made with the B-2 bombers. So we have a lot of agreement with Iran and I think something is going to happen very positive," Trump said.
The U.S. continued enforcing a naval blockade on ships entering and exiting Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz.
Here are more updates from the Middle East conflict:Israel ceasefire in Lebanon | U.S.-Iran talks | Iranian threats
Israel says a 10-day ceasefire has begun in the war against Hezbollah in Lebanon
Ibrahim Amro / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty ImagesLebanese including supporters of Hezbollah celebrate the ceasefire with Israel as it takes effect after midnight, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon.
Israel's military said a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon went into effect Thursday night, after Israeli and Lebanese leaders had calls with President Trump and agreed to the temporary truce. It is supposed to pause the war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants.
News images emerged of crowds celebrating in parts of Lebanon after more than a month of war left a heavy human toll in the country. But there is uncertainty whether the ceasefire would hold.
Israel vowed to keep its troops in southern Lebanon, and Hezbollah said the Lebanese people have "the right to resist" Israeli forces in the country, Reuters reported.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported Israeli army shelling and gunfire in parts of southern Lebanon after the designated start time.
Joseph Eid / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty ImagesLebanese displaced woman Mariam Zein sits with her son inside the classroom of a school transformed into a displaced reception center in the area of Dekwaneh, east of Beirut, on Wednesday.
Hezbollah acknowledge the ceasefire in a statement but urged Lebanese who had to flee the violence in their villages in southern Lebanon to hold off going back to for their safety.
Hezbollah has both a political wing, with lawmakers in Lebanon's national parliament, and militia that operates largely independently of the Lebanese government and receives funding and direction from Iran.
Lebanon's government has pushed for a ceasefire before entering bigger diplomatic negotiations with Israel. Hezb