Netanyahu Caught Off Guard With Trump's Post Declaring Lebanon Strikes 'Prohibited': Report

Last Updated:April 18, 2026, 09:21 IST

The development came after President Donald Trump in a social media post on Friday said that Israel is "prohibited" by the US from further strikes on Lebanon.

Israel asked the White House for clarification about President Donald Trump’s post that Israel was “prohibited" from conducting airstrikes in Lebanon. According to Axios, sources familiar with the matter informed that Netanyahu and his advisers were caught off guard by the US President’s statement, which appeared to contradict the terms of a newly announced ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

The development came after President Donald Trump in a social media post on Friday said that Israel is “prohibited" by the US from further strikes on Lebanon and stated that “enough is enough" in the Israel-Hezbollah war.

“Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer. They are PROHIBITED from doing so by the USA. Enough is enough!!!" Trump said in a social media post.

However, the White House did not immediately respond to a question about whether the prohibition spans both offensive and defensive strikes.

Ceasefire Agreement Between Israel And Lebanon

Under the agreement, Israel committed to halting offensive operations against Lebanese targets.

However, it retained the right to act in self-defence against imminent or ongoing threats, including attacks by Hezbollah.

A US-backed Israeli-Lebanese ceasefire took effect at 2100 GMT on Thursday, halting fighting that flared on March 2 when Hezbollah fired on northern Israel in support of Iran’s fight with the US and Israel, drawing an Israeli offensive that Lebanese authorities say has killed 2,000 people.

News world Netanyahu Caught Off Guard With Trump's Post Declaring Lebanon Strikes 'Prohibited': Report

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