Image Credit: Tasnim News Agency
Israel and Hezbollah have reached a 60-day ceasefire agreement, with US President Biden supporting it as a step toward lasting peace. The deal includes the withdrawal of forces and a halt to hostilities. Despite the ceasefire, Israel has warned displaced Lebanese residents not to return home yet.
Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a 60-day ceasefire, with US President Joe Biden supporting the move as a step toward a permanent cessation of hostilities. The deal calls for Hezbollah to retreat 40 kilometers from Israel’s border, while Israeli forces will pull back from Lebanese territory. Despite the agreement, Israel has advised displaced Lebanese residents to hold off on returning home.
The deal follows escalating violence that began in August when Israel launched preemptive airstrikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon. These airstrikes were in response to what Israel claimed was Hezbollah preparing to launch missiles into Israeli territory. Hezbollah retaliated by launching hundreds of rockets into Israel, signaling the start of hostilities.
Throughout the conflict, tensions escalated with further exchanges of rocket fire and airstrikes, including an Israeli bombardment of Beirut’s southern border, which killed 25 people. Despite this fragile peace agreement, Israel has cautioned that it is too soon for residents to return to their homes in Lebanon.
The ceasefire is seen as a foundation for lasting peace, though challenges remain, with both sides having suffered significant casualties during the months of fighting.
