Lebanon Observes 10-Day Ceasefire with Israel

A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has taken effect, according to reports. The United States President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire on Thursday, confirming that Iran-backed Hezbollah were included in the agreement.

Celebratory gunfire was heard in Beirut as the truce began, with residents firing into the air just after midnight. Displaced families have begun moving towards southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs, despite warnings from officials not to attempt to return to their homes until it becomes clear whether the ceasefire will hold.

The Lebanese army reported that Israel committed violations of the ceasefire, including intermittent shelling of several southern Lebanese villages. The Israeli military has yet to comment on these claims.

Hezbollah released a statement detailing its military operations against Israel throughout Thursday. The group stated that it launched its last attack at 11:50pm local time (20:50 GMT), just 10 minutes before the ceasefire took effect.

US President Trump issued a social media post urging Hezbollah to respect the ceasefire, saying “I hope Hezbollah acts nicely and well during this important period of time.” He also invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to the White House for talks.

The announcement comes after 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Iranian Prime Minister’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed news of the ceasefire, stating it was part of a broader agreement with the US to pause regional hostilities. Other countries, including Qatar, Jordan, and Bahrain, also issued statements welcoming the cessation of hostilities.

The Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed to the ceasefire “to advance” peace efforts with Lebanon, but stated that Israeli troops would not withdraw from a security zone inside Lebanese territory.

Source: Al Jazeera