Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire, a top US official says. The truce came into effect on Friday at 4:00 PM local time. That is at 3:00 PM Dutch time.
Two sources within Hezbollah say the group has implemented the truce. An Israeli source says Israel will adhere to the truce as long as Hezbollah does not attack. Israel will keep soldiers in the south of Lebanon, the Israeli representative said.
A correspondent of Al Jazeera reports that within half an hour of the ceasefire entering into force, four major attacks had already taken place on and around the Lebanese city of Nabatieh. After the truce came into effect, a representative of the Israeli army also spoke of violations by Hezbollah. It is not clear whether he is referring to the latest ceasefire or the ceasefire that was in place before.
Israel reported heavy attacks on Lebanon earlier in the day. Dozens of Hezbollah fighters are said to have been killed. The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported 47 deaths and 97 injuries. At least seven women and two children were said to be among the dead.
End to violence
According to the US official, the violence has now come to an end. It also reports that the truce is the result of mediation by the US and Qatar and with the help of Iran, which supports Hezbollah.
Earlier on Friday, Iran warned of the regional consequences of the Israeli attacks on Lebanon. According to Tehran, the US is directly responsible for this, spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei referred to the agreement that Iran and the US concluded this week. It stipulated that a ceasefire between the two should also include a truce in Lebanon.
Hostilities decreased significantly at the beginning of this week, but later increased again. Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in a deadly conflict since the war in Gaza. They also agreed to a ceasefire in November 2024.
The fighting flared up in early March after Hezbollah attacked Israel in retaliation for the death of Iran’s supreme leader. Israel continued heavy attacks despite a later ceasefire with Lebanon.
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