On Tuesday, Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group backed by Iran, agreed to a cease-fire, potentially ending a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives since it erupted in connection to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he was prepared to enforce the agreement but emphasized that any violations by Hezbollah would be met with a strong military response. The proposal was pending cabinet approval.
Netanyahu highlighted that Israel maintains full military freedom of action in coordination with the United States, promising decisive strikes if Hezbollah breaches the agreement or attempts to rebuild its arsenal. Once Israel’s cabinet gives the green light, President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron are expected to formally announce the cease-fire. The agreement is set to begin on Wednesday, halting fighting for 60 days, during which Israel will withdraw troops from southern Lebanon while Hezbollah pulls back its forces from the Israeli border.
The truce is not expected to impact the conflict in Gaza, which began 14 months ago. Israel launched a military operation in Lebanon in mid-September after a series of border skirmishes that started when Hezbollah attacked Israel in solidarity with Hamas. Since then, Israeli operations have resulted in over 3,000 deaths in Lebanon, with more than a million people displaced. In response, Hezbollah has fired thousands of rockets at northern Israel, causing many residents to evacuate south.
Israel’s campaign included a ground invasion that killed several Hezbollah leaders, including Hassan Nasrallah, and targeted infrastructure across Lebanon. Netanyahu claimed that Israel’s actions had significantly weakened Hezbollah, destroying rockets, dismantling fighters, and devastating terror bases near the border.
The broader conflict started when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, leading to a massive Israeli counteroffensive in Gaza. The violence has resulted in over 44,000 deaths in Gaza, as reported by the Hamas-run health ministry. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu, accusing him of war crimes in Gaza, a charge he denies.
Netanyahu justified the cease-fire to allow Israel to concentrate on Iran, a key adversary, and to isolate Hamas by removing Hezbollah from the conflict. There has been no official comment from Hezbollah, Hamas, or Iran. The cease-fire will be overseen by a group that includes the United Nations, the armies of Israel and Lebanon, as well as France and the U.S.
Despite the cease-fire agreement, Israeli airstrikes on southern Beirut continued on Tuesday, and Hezbollah continued rocket fire into northern Israel. On Monday, Israeli strikes resulted in 31 deaths in Lebanon. Some far-right ministers in Netanyahu’s government opposed the cease-fire, which marks the most significant escalation between Israel and Hezbollah since their major conflict in 2006.
