Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire that will take effect on Friday, according to a senior US official, marking the latest effort to halt weeks of fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border.
The ceasefire is scheduled to begin at 4 pm local time on Friday and was brokered with the involvement of the United States, Qatar and Iran, Reuters reported, citing the US official.
The agreement comes despite a fresh exchange of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah earlier on Thursday, underscoring the fragility of the truce.
Diplomatic Push To End Fighting
The ceasefire is the latest in a series of diplomatic efforts aimed at ending hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which have repeatedly threatened to derail wider regional peace initiatives.
US, Qatari and Iranian mediators have been engaged in intensive talks in recent days as concerns mounted that continued clashes in Lebanon could undermine broader negotiations underway in the region.
Escalation Before Truce
The announcement follows a sharp escalation in violence that included Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah attacks that reportedly killed Israeli soldiers.
Lebanese officials have accused Israel of undermining peace efforts through continued military operations, while Israeli leaders have insisted that military action remains necessary to protect northern communities from Hezbollah attacks.
Regional Impact
The fighting in Lebanon has also affected wider diplomatic initiatives, including talks linked to the recently announced US-Iran agreement.
Iran has previously indicated that developments in Lebanon would influence its approach to negotiations, while US officials have repeatedly stressed the importance of reducing tensions across all regional fronts.
While the ceasefire announcement has raised hopes of de-escalation, observers caution that previous truce arrangements have faced repeated violations, making implementation and monitoring crucial in the coming days.
