Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon have agreed a new ceasefire, US government sources said on Friday, after a major escalation in fighting threatened to derail diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in the region.
The agreement, brokered by the United States and Qatar, came into effect at 1300 GMT, the sources said.
However, Lebanese security sources reported that Israel launched 12 attacks within the first 45 minutes of the ceasefire, casting doubt on its prospects.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet confirmed the agreement.
The Times of Israel newspaper quoted army spokesman Effie Defrin as saying that Israeli troops have "full freedom of action" to counter any threat despite the ceasefire. There are no restrictions, he added.
Israel strikes Lebanon
Israeli airstrikes overnight and early on Friday had put the freshly signed deal between the US and Iran under threat, forcing postponement of US Vice President JD Vance's trip to Switzerland for a new round of negotiations.
The Israeli military said it had carried out airstrikes on more than 150 Hezbollah positions during the night and on Friday morning after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon, killing four of them, including an Israeli battalion commander. Four other soldiers were injured in a drone attack.
The Health Ministry in Beirut said 47 people were killed and a further 97 injured on the Lebanese side. Eight of those killed were members of the same family, the ministry said.
Netanyahu said the strikes were in response to an "outrageous attack" by Hezbollah, which he referred to as "a blatant violation" of an earlier ceasefire.
Israeli minister: "All of Lebanon must burn!"
Far-right Israeli ministers called for harsh retaliatory measures following the deaths of the four soldiers.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich wrote on X: "Time to speak with fire. To open the gates of hell."
His colleague, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, wrote that "for every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep," adding "all of Lebanon must burn!"
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to Ben-Gvir’s remarks on X, saying that Israel’s sole interest was "permanent war." He compared the comments to "a rant by a random genocidal lunatic."
Framework agreement calls for an end to violence
Iran and the US signed a framework agreement this week that provides for a comprehensive end to military conflicts in the region.
In the 60 days following the agreement, negotiators are to work towards a final deal that brings about a lasting end to the war in the region, which began with US-Israeli attacks on Iran at the end of February.
An initial round of talks between Iran and the US aimed at advancing the framework agreement was cancelled at the last minute. The meeting, scheduled for Friday in Switzerland, was to be led on the US side by by vice president.
The Lebanese news portal Al-Mayadeen, which is close to Iran and Hezbollah, reported citing unnamed Iranian government sources that Iran's negotiating delegation suspended the planned trip to Switzerland citing the continued strikes in Lebanon.
Shortly before the announced ceasefire, Iranian media had threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz – a vital waterway for the energy sector – once again.
