Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire collapses within an hour, stalling US-Iran peace talks
A US-brokered truce between Israel and Hezbollah was violated in the first 45 minutes, with both sides trading blame and the US-Iran peace process frozen as a result.
Ceasefire agreed, then broken
A senior US official announced on Friday that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to a ceasefire, effective 16:00 local time (15:00 CEST). Qatar mediated the agreement with US and Iranian support. The announcement raised hopes that the US-Iran framework agreement signed days earlier would hold, but those hopes were dashed almost immediately.
Lebanese security circles reported at least 12 Israeli attacks within the first 45 minutes of the truce, according to Süddeutsche Zeitung. It remained unclear whether the strikes came before or after the official start of the ceasefire, but the Israeli military said it had hit more than 150 Hezbollah targets overnight and on Friday morning, claiming “dozens” of militants were killed. Israel accused Hezbollah of having violated the truce first.
A despicable attack by Hezbollah, representing a flagrant violation of the ceasefire.
Netanyahu said he had ordered the army to act with full force. Hezbollah, for its part, insisted Israel had never respected any ceasefire.
Casualties mount on both sides
The Lebanese health ministry reported at least 21 killed on Friday in new Israeli airstrikes in the south and east of the country. Other sources, including a later Handelsblatt report, put the death toll at 47 with 97 injured. Eight of the dead were members of the same family. Israel confirmed four soldiers killed and four wounded in a Hezbollah drone and rocket attack late Thursday.
Two far-right Israeli ministers responded with calls for massive retaliation. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich wrote on X:
Time to speak with fire. Open the gates of hell.
Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir added:
For every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep. All of Lebanon must burn!
Diplomacy on ice
The breakdown immediately affected the broader peace process. US Vice President JD Vance and his delegation were ready to depart for talks with Iran in Switzerland when the trip was scrapped. Iran had conditioned its participation on a comprehensive ceasefire, and the continued Israeli strikes led Tehran to refuse to send a delegation, multiple sources confirmed.
These attacks undermine all efforts to end the war.
The Lebanese president’s accusation underscored the fragility of the entire US-Iran framework, which both sides signed earlier in the week but which did not involve Israel or Hezbollah directly.
- Hezbollah attack kills four Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon.
- Israeli airstrikes hit more than 150 Hezbollah targets; Lebanese health ministry reports 47 dead.
- US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah enters effect.
- Lebanese security sources report 12 Israeli attacks in the first 45 minutes.
- US-Iran follow-up talks in Switzerland postponed indefinitely.
Hormuz shipping slowly resumes with new rules
Amid the chaos, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz increased slightly for the first time in months after Iran suspended transit fees. However, the Iranian port authority published new requirements on Friday: all vessels must submit a written application at least 48 hours in advance via email or a website and must carry mandatory insurance. Ships may only use a designated corridor along the Iranian coast near Larak Island.
Iranian media had threatened a renewed closure of the strait just hours before the ceasefire was announced. The moves keep global energy markets on edge even as the immediate military situation on the ground remains volatile.
