Israel, Hezbollah agree to ceasefire in Lebanon, U.S. official says

A ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon has been agreed, set to begin at 4 p.m. (1300 GMT), following a U.S.-brokered deal to end the escalating conflict.

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah agreed ‌to ​a ceasefire on Friday, a U.S. official said, after an escalation in hostilities in Lebanon sorely tested the U.S.-Iranian interim deal to end the wider Middle East conflict. A senior Israeli official and two Hezbollah sources confirmed the ceasefire to Reuters, which the U.S. official said was due to begin at 4 p.m. (1300 GMT)

“If Hezbollah does not attack us, ‌then for us it is not a time of war,” the Israeli official said. Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon, the official added. Two Lebanese security sources said Israel carried out a dozen airstrikes in the first hour after the ceasefire came into effect, but none were recorded after 5 p.m.. An Israeli military official confirmed that there had been no strikes since 5 p.m. but denied that Israel had carried out a dozen strikes after 4 p.m. A Reuters journalist in northern Israel ‌saw airstrikes ongoing inside Lebanon at around 4:50 p.m. Israeli airstrikes had killed at least 47 people in Lebanon since midnight, the Lebanese health ministry reported. Israel reported four of its soldiers killed in south Lebanon in one ‌of the deadliest Hezbollah attacks of the war. The Iran deal requires the United States, Iran, and their allies to declare an immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon. Violence has picked up over the course of the week after initially abating when the agreement was first announced.

Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah earlier told Reuters that Iran had informed the group that talks with Washington could not continue without a comprehensive ceasefire. The senior U.S. official told Reuters that the ceasefire was worked out by negotiators for the U.S. and Qataris with help from Iran.

"Hezbollah and ⁠Israel have agreed ​to a ceasefire," the U.S. official said. “We understand that after the ⁠exchange of fire earlier today, Israel and Hezbollah are now in a ceasefire." Israel, which was not consulted in the negotiations that led to this week's U.S. memorandum of understanding with Iran, has bristled at the apparent requirement that it halt its campaign in Lebanon, which it invaded after ⁠Hezbollah fired across the border in solidarity with Tehran on March 2.

The Israeli official said Israel had the freedom to act against emerging threats and threats to its forces and territory. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had vowed to "extract a very heavy price" from Hezbollah ​for the killing of the four soldiers.

Israeli officials have voiced anger at the U.S.-Iran pact, saying it does not go far enough to address Israeli concerns over Iran's nuclear programme. DEADLY AIRSTRIKES

Israel said it carried out strikes ⁠targeting Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure across several areas in response to repeated Hezbollah ceasefire violations. Hezbollah denied it had violated the ceasefire, and accused Israel of repeatedly violating truce terms, including the terms of the U.S.-Iran agreement. A statement from the group accused Israeli forces of carrying out attacks that killed civilians, destroying ⁠homes ​and infrastructure, and continuing its ground incursions. Heavy fighting overnight was concentrated in an area north of the Litani River known as Ali al-Taher hill - high ground strategically important to Hezbollah where Israeli forces had sought to advance, a senior Lebanese security source said.

Hezbollah said its fighters ambushed an Israeli force advancing near the hill, destroying three Merkava tanks with guided missiles and targeting troops with rocket and artillery fire. Hezbollah said it later attacked Israeli forces that had sought to ⁠enter the area to retrieve casualties. Israel has seized a self-declared security zone in the south, saying it aims to shield northern Israel from Hezbollah attack. Its forces have been razing villages in the south where they say Hezbollah ⁠has embedded itself.

Hezbollah has continued to launch attacks on ⁠Israeli positions in the south this week, including with explosive drones that have killed and injured troops. Lebanon's health ministry has recorded 3,912 people killed in Lebanon as a result of Israeli attacks since March 2, including 746 medics, women and children.

Israel's death toll from this round of hostilities with Hezbollah includes at least 32 soldiers and four Israeli civilians.