Following reports on Monday that the Lebanese government proposed direct negotiations with Israel to end the war in Lebanon and potentially reach a peace agreement between the two countries, Lebanese President Joseph Anoun on Tuesday published his initiative for a ceasefire with Israel.

The ceasefire proposal includes four clauses.

1. A full ceasefire, with Israel immediately halting all strikes on Lebanon via land, air, and sea.
2. The acceleration of the provision of the necessary international logistical support to the Lebanese Army.
3. The immediate deployment of the Lebanese army to take control of areas of tension and confiscate Hezbollah’s weapons and supplies.
4. The simultaneous launch of direct negotiations under international auspices to implement the terms of the proposal.

The unprecedented offer comes after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on the second day of Operation Roaring Lion, prompting Israel to send ground forces into southern Lebanon and attack Beirut. Over 600,000 Lebanese civilians have fled their homes.

According to an Axios report, the Lebanese government approached the Trump administration via US envoy Tom Barrack last week, requesting mediation with Israel and even proposing direct ministerial‑level talks in Cyprus, an unprecedented step. An Israeli source said that the Lebanese government even claimed that some Hezbollah members were open to a ceasefire deal.

The US and Israel responded with great skepticism to the proposal, with Barrack rebuking Lebanon to stop with the empty offers. “If it’s not real action about Hezbollah’s weapons, there’s no point,” he said.

Israel rejected the offer as “too late,” saying that it is now focusing on eliminating Hezbollah.

It should be noted that Lebanese Army chief Rodolphe Haykal has refused to deploy forces against Hezbollah amid the war, prompting the US to pressure Aoun to fire him.

Lebanon now finds itself without military capabilities and without US support. “There is no interest from the Trump administration to deal with Lebanon,” one source told Axios.

“Nobody in Washington is taking their calls,” a U.S. source said. “The Lebanese government was warned and warned and warned this would happen if they didn’t take action against Hezbollah,” a third source said.

“The Lebanese military remains unwilling — some say unable — to enforce the government’s decision outlawing Hezbollah’s military and security activities,” said Firas Maksad, managing director for Middle East and North Africa at Eurasia Group.

Maksad added that Lebanon’s goal is to create a diplomatic exit path for the day after the war, with the hope that Hezbollah will no longer dominate the country.

“The Lebanese state will not, perhaps cannot, create the military conditions to get there,” he said. “But it will meet Israel and the U.S. at the table once the guns go silent.”

Kan News reported that Lebanon, through intermediaries, asked Israel to reduce its attacks. Israel responded that Lebanon must stop Hezbollah’s rocket fire. Lebanon replied that it cannot.

Channel 13 reported that Israel believes Hezbollah intends to expand its attacks and increase its rocket fire. Israel is considering several responses to the escalation, including striking dual‑use targets in Lebanon.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)