A ceasefire has been reached to end the 13-month-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, US President Joe Biden announced. The ceasefire, which aims for a permanent cessation of hostilities, will take effect at 04:00 local time (02:00 GMT) on Wednesday.
Israel’s Stance on the Agreement
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel would not hesitate to strike if Hezbollah violates any part of the agreement. Despite this warning, there has been no response from the Iran-backed Hezbollah, which had been engaging in intense fighting with Israel since October 2023. The conflict worsened in late September when Israel launched increased bombardments and a limited ground invasion.
The Toll of the Conflict
The conflict, which has been Lebanon’s deadliest in decades, has resulted in over 3,823 deaths, according to local officials.
Fighting Continues Until Ceasefire Deadline
As the ceasefire deadline approached, both sides continued to engage in attacks. Israel issued evacuation orders for parts of Beirut just hours before the ceasefire was set to take effect. In the final hours of fighting, Hezbollah fired drones into Israeli territory.
The ceasefire officially began overnight on Wednesday, as planned, marking the end of the prolonged hostilities.
