Israel and Lebanon agreed on Thursday to renew a fragile ceasefire, brokered by the United States, that hinges on the complete cessation of hostilities by the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia and the withdrawal of its fighters from southern Lebanon. The deal, announced by the US State Department after talks in Washington, calls for the creation of “pilot zones” south of the Litani River where the Lebanese Armed Forces will assume exclusive control, effectively excluding all non-state actors. The framework is seen as a critical step toward a broader US-Iran agreement to end the 97-day-old regional war.

Under the terms, Hezbollah must halt all rocket and drone attacks against Israel and withdraw its forces from the designated areas within 24 hours of the agreement taking effect, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told Reuters. The Lebanese president said the ceasefire could come into force “within 24 hours” once all parties approve it, though Hezbollah has yet to publicly endorse the deal. Hours after the announcement, air raid sirens sounded in northern Israel following reports of a “suspicious aerial target,” underscoring the fragility of the truce.

Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Katz reiterated that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) retain “operational freedom” to respond to threats, including in Beirut, despite the ceasefire. Katz stated that Israel would continue to strike Hezbollah positions if necessary, a position echoed by US backing for Israeli military action. The defence minister’s remarks came shortly after Israel conducted multiple drone strikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday morning, killing at least nine people, according to local reports. Hours later, Hezbollah launched rockets toward northern Israel, testing the limits of the newly agreed truce.

The ceasefire framework was negotiated without Hezbollah’s participation, raising questions about its enforceability. Lebanon’s Culture Minister Ghassan Salamé told Euronews that the US-brokered deal offers “hope of ending Israel-Hezbollah hostilities,” despite previous truce violations. Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei framed the conflict as a “setback” for Washington and Tel Aviv, in a statement released on Thursday.

The agreement also establishes a timeline for further negotiations, with parties set to reconvene in late June to advance toward a comprehensive security deal. The ceasefire’s success remains contingent on Hezbollah’s compliance, as well as Israel’s willingness to refrain from retaliatory strikes. A UN peacekeeper was killed and two others injured in southern Lebanon on Thursday, despite the ceasefire announcement, highlighting the volatile security environment. The fragile truce now faces its first critical test: whether it can hold long enough to allow diplomacy to take hold.

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Articles

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