A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect in Lebanon after over a year of conflict.
The ceasefire began at 04:00 local time (02:00 GMT) on Wednesday, bringing at least a temporary end to nearly 14 months of fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group.
The agreement was announced on Tuesday evening by Israel, France, and the US, with President Joe Biden describing it as an effort toward a “permanent cessation of hostilities.”
Despite the ceasefire being scheduled, both sides carried out attacks until just before the deadline.
Israel issued evacuation orders for parts of Beirut four hours before the ceasefire was set to begin, launching strikes about an hour ahead of the deadline.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah launched drones into Israel in the hours leading up to the ceasefire.
Once the ceasefire took effect, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) warned residents in southern Lebanon to avoid heading to evacuated villages or approaching IDF forces in the area.
IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated on X that the IDF would “inform you when it is safe to return home.”
Nevertheless, dozens of vehicles, some packed with personal belongings, were seen heading south shortly after the ceasefire began, as reported by Reuters.
The conflict, which had been ongoing for nearly a year, escalated in late September when Israel launched intensified airstrikes and a ground invasion against Hezbollah.
This war has been Lebanon’s deadliest in decades, with more than 3,823 people killed, according to local officials.
As part of the deal brokered by the US, Israel will gradually pull its troops from southern Lebanon over the next 60 days.
Over the same timeframe, Hezbollah fighters and weapons will be removed from the area south of the Litani River, a boundary established at the end of the last Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006. They will be replaced by Lebanese government forces.
“This announcement will create the conditions to restore lasting calm and allow residents in both countries to return safely to their homes,” said a joint statement from the US and France, both of which will join an existing mechanism tasked with enforcing the UN resolution previously set at the end of the 2006 war.
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire deal, calling it a “fundamental step towards restoring calm and stability” in the country and allowing citizens to return home.
But he also demanded Israel “fully comply” with the deal, leave sites it currently occupies and to respect the UN resolution.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not hesitate to strike if Hezbollah breaks any part of the agreed deal.
“If Hezbollah violates the agreement and tries to arm itself, we will attack. If it tries to rebuild terrorist infrastructure near the border, we will attack,” he said.
Biden said Israel “retains the right to self defence consistent with international law”.
A snap poll for Israeli TV showed 37% of Israelis in favour of the ceasefire, 32% against and 31% saying they didn’t know.
Netanyahu also said ending the fighting in Lebanon, Israel’s northern neighbour, would allow the IDF to focus on “the Iranian threat”.
Hezbollah had long been seen as Iran’s first line of defence. But with much of the group’s missile arsenal now destroyed, the military balance between Iran and Israel appears to have tilted in Israel’s favour.
The past 13 months of fighting began when Hezbollah started firing rockets into Israel a day after its ally Hamas carried out a brutal attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people.
Netanyahu said ending the fighting in Lebanon would also increase pressure on Hamas.
“From day two of the war, Hamas was counting on Hezbollah to fight by its side. With Hezbollah out of the picture, Hamas is left on its own,” Netanyahu said.
He said ending fighting in Lebanon would also give the IDF space to resupply weapons, munitions and troops, and thus could free up more Israeli forces to serve in Gaza. Parallel negotiations to end that conflict have been deadlocked for months.
US officials have expressed some hope the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire will provide momentum for a breakthrough in the Gaza talks. On Tuesday, Biden said his administration was working with Turkey, Egypt and Qatar to “make another push” on a deal.
US officials have clarified that no American troops will be deployed to enforce the current ceasefire.
The war has had a devastating impact on Lebanon, where, in addition to the 3,823 killed and 15,859 injured, one million people have been displaced in areas controlled by Hezbollah.
Israel launched its offensive against Hezbollah, which is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel and many Western nations, following nearly a year of cross-border clashes triggered by the war in Gaza.
Israel’s stated objective is to ensure the safe return of about 60,000 residents of northern Israeli areas displaced by rocket attacks launched by Hezbollah in support of Palestinians.
Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel and the occupied Golan Heights have resulted in at least 75 deaths, more than half of which were civilians. Additionally, over 50 Israeli soldiers have died in combat in southern Lebanon, according to Israeli authorities.