DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Conflict & Security

Israel, Hezbollah Agree to Ceasefire After Hostilities Escalate

From ThisDay · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire following an escalation of hostilities in Lebanon.
  • The ceasefire, brokered with U.S. and Qatari assistance, was intended to align with an interim U.S.-Iran deal aimed at resolving the wider Middle East conflict.
  • Despite the agreement, reports indicated Israeli airstrikes continued for a period after the ceasefire began, resulting in casualties on both sides.

Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire, bringing a temporary halt to escalating hostilities in Lebanon that had strained a U.S.-Iran interim deal aimed at resolving the broader Middle East conflict. The ceasefire was reportedly set to begin at 4 p.m. yesterday, confirmed by a senior Israeli official and two Hezbollah sources to Reuters.

If Hezbollah does not attack us, then for us it is not a time of war.

— Senior Israeli officialConfirming the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.

"If Hezbollah does not attack us, then for us it is not a time of war," the Israeli official stated, adding that Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon. However, reports from Lebanese security sources indicated that Israel carried out a dozen airstrikes in the first hour after the ceasefire took effect, though none were recorded after 5 p.m. An Israeli military official confirmed no strikes occurred after 5 p.m. but denied the number of earlier strikes.

Later in the evening, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported a drone strike on a southern Lebanese highway killed two people on a motorbike. The Israeli military had not immediately responded to a request for comment on this specific incident. Earlier, the Lebanese health ministry reported that Israeli airstrikes had killed at least 47 people in Lebanon since midnight, while Israel reported four soldiers killed in southern Lebanon in one of Hezbollah's deadliest attacks during the conflict.

Hezbollah and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire. We understand that after the exchange of fire earlier today, Israel and Hezbollah are now in a ceasefire.

— Senior U.S. officialConfirming the ceasefire brokered with U.S. and Qatari assistance.

The U.S.-Iran deal requires a permanent termination of military operations on all fronts. Violence had intensified throughout the week after initially subsiding following the agreement's announcement. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah indicated that Iran had informed the group that talks with Washington could not proceed without a comprehensive ceasefire.

Iran had informed the group that talks with Washington could not continue without a comprehensive ceasefire.

— Hassan FadlallahHezbollah lawmaker, explaining the link between talks and a ceasefire.

A senior U.S. official confirmed the ceasefire was negotiated by U.S. and Qatari representatives with Iranian assistance. Israel, which was not involved in the U.S.-Iran negotiations, had expressed displeasure with the perceived requirement to halt its campaign in Lebanon, which began after Hezbollah fired across the border in solidarity with Tehran on March 2. The Israeli official maintained Israel's freedom to act against emerging threats.

Israel had the freedom to act against emerging threats and threats to its forces and territory.

— Senior Israeli officialAsserting Israel's right to self-defense despite the ceasefire.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ThisDay in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog