Israel and Hezbollah agree to ceasefire after US-Qatar mediation; Israeli troops remain in southern Lebanon
A new ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect Friday afternoon after mediation by the US and Qatar, but Israeli forces will stay in a southern Lebanon buffer zone, officials said.
Ceasefire timeline
A ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement entered into force on Friday at 16:00 local time (15:00 Polish time), according to a US administration official and sources close to the negotiations. The agreement was brokered by American and Qatari mediators after talks that included Iran, which backs Hezbollah. Two sources in Hezbollah told Reuters the group complied with the truce as soon as it was informed.
- War begins with US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran; Hezbollah opens a front against Israel.
- US and Iran sign a temporary memorandum of understanding that includes an immediate ceasefire on all fronts.
- Iran cancels planned technical peace talks in Switzerland, citing Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
- Israel and Hezbollah ceasefire enters into force at 16:00 local time, mediated by the US and Qatar.
Israeli conditions and warnings
Despite the halt in active fighting, the Israeli military will not withdraw its troops from the buffer zone it occupies in southern Lebanon. "Israeli forces will remain in the buffer zone as long as Hezbollah threatens the citizens of Israel," an IDF spokesman said. Soldiers deployed inside Lebanese territory will retain freedom of action if a threat emerges.
We have a ceasefire. If Hezbollah attacks us, we have war.
Escalation hours before the deal
Friday morning saw intense cross-border fire. Lebanese health authorities said at least 47 people, including two children, were killed on Friday in Israeli airstrikes (other reports cited 18 or 21 dead), while Israel confirmed four of its soldiers died in Hezbollah attacks. Israeli internal security minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for a massive retaliation, writing that for each dead soldier, Lebanon should pay with a thousand lives, and insisted the Americans should not interfere.
The Iran-US peace track
This ceasefire is tied to a broader diplomatic effort. On Wednesday, US and Iranian presidents signed a temporary memorandum of understanding that requires an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon. The agreement gives sides 60 days to resolve disputes over Iran's nuclear programme and sanctions relief. However, technical talks due to start Thursday in the Swiss resort of Bürgenstock were cancelled after Iran withdrew, accusing the US of responsibility for the Israeli attacks on Lebanon. US vice‑president J.D. Vance had been expected to attend; Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also pulled out.
I have always gotten along well with Bibi. Sometimes you just have to calm down and be reasonable.
Oil markets relax slightly
Brent crude slipped 0.8 percent on Friday to $79.25 a barrel and was heading for a weekly loss of around 8.5 percent, erasing most gains from the peak of the conflict. Ship‑tracking data showed no tankers leaving the Persian Gulf on Friday morning, though on Thursday almost 10 million barrels were observed near the Strait of Hormuz, including the first Saudi‑owned tanker movements since the war began over three months ago. The central shipping lane remains blocked by about 80 mines, according to a Guardian report.
Fragile pause
The war that started on 28 February with US and Israeli air strikes on Iran has claimed at least 7,000 lives, mostly in Iran and Lebanon. Hezbollah opened a front by firing at Israel after that initial strike. While the current ceasefire relieves immediate pressure, Israel is not a party to the US‑Iran memorandum, and its political class is deeply frustrated. The durability of the pause hinges on whether both sides refrain from provocations and whether the suspended Swiss talks can be revived.
