Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire, according to a US official, following a deadly escalation in southern Lebanon that left at least 47 people dead amid some of the fiercest fighting in recent months.
The agreement came after renewed concerns that continued hostilities, including a Hezbollah attack that killed four Israeli soldiers in Lebanon, could jeopardise efforts to end the broader conflict involving Israel, the US and Iran.
The Israeli military confirmed that a ceasefire had taken effect. However, an Israeli military spokesman later said its forces would “continue to remove immediate threats”.
While Hezbollah has yet to officially confirm the ceasefire, the group’s Secretary General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, declared: “The project to eliminate Hezbollah has failed.”
Despite the announcement, reports from the ground suggested fighting had not completely subsided. Rescue officials in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh told the BBC that at least 12 air strikes had occurred after the ceasefire came into effect at 16:00 local time.
The latest developments have raised fresh questions about the durability of a deal intended to halt hostilities in Lebanon and reduce tensions between the US and Iran. Although a memorandum of understanding declared a ceasefire in Lebanon alongside the broader US-Iran agreement, events on the ground have painted a different picture.
Iran has accused President Donald Trump of failing to restrain Israel, while Trump himself has publicly criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of unnecessarily causing civilian deaths during military operations against Hezbollah.
The overnight escalation in southern Lebanon further complicated the situation. Responding to the deaths of Israeli soldiers, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said: “Lebanon must burn… For every tear shed by an Israeli mother, 1,000 Lebanese mothers must weep”.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in turn, accused Israel of seeking “permanent war” and warned that any violation of the memorandum of understanding “will be attributed to the US”.
The ceasefire depends heavily on restraint from both sides, but there have been few indications of that. Netanyahu faces domestic pressure to continue military operations against Hezbollah, while the Iran-backed group has repeatedly stated it will maintain attacks as long as Israeli forces remain in southern Lebanon.
Following the ceasefire announcement, Israeli military spokesperson Effie Defrin reiterated that Israel would “continue to remove immediate threats, respond to Hezbollah’s violations, and do whatever is necessary to protect our civilians”.
Qassem also struck a defiant tone, stating: “The project to eliminate Hezbollah has failed, and the Israelis will withdraw from every last inch of our land.”
The latest clashes erupted after Hezbollah said it had ambushed an Israeli force in southern Lebanon, destroying three tanks with guided missiles and targeting troops with rocket and artillery fire. An Israeli battalion commander was among four soldiers killed.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Israeli air strikes killed 47 people, including women and children, and wounded 97 others. In the Nabatieh district alone, nine people were killed in Harouf, seven in Haboush and six in al-Duweir, including a child.
Lebanon’s state news agency described Thursday night’s bombardment across the Nabatieh district as one of the most intense episodes of the war.
News of the ceasefire has been greeted with scepticism by many displaced Lebanese residents who remain doubtful that Israel will adhere to any peace agreement.
One resident told Reuters: “The agreement is good, and we all want an agreement, but the Israelis don’t abide by it.
“How many times have they made agreements? More than once, they don’t commit.”
Meanwhile, the US State Department announced that direct talks between Israel and the Lebanese government would resume in Washington next week in an effort to secure a “lasting peace”.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that a “comprehensive ceasefire” under which “Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory” ceased was essential for the Washington talks to move forward, according to the Lebanese presidency.
Lebanon became directly involved in the conflict shortly after the wider war between Israel, the US and Iran began, with Hezbollah launching rockets into Israel following a strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader.
Israel responded with an extensive bombing campaign across Lebanon and occupied approximately five per cent of Lebanese territory in the south, aiming to push Hezbollah fighters away from its northern border.
According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, more than 3,900 people have been killed and over 11,600 wounded since the conflict escalated. Around one million people remain displaced, while entire communities across southern Lebanon have been devastated by the fighting.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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