Israel and Lebanon have renewed a fragile ceasefire, prohibiting Hezbollah operatives from designated security zones, but the agreement hinges on the absence of further militant rocket fire. The new accord, brokered with US assistance, calls for a complete cessation of attacks by Iran's proxy group in Lebanon, backed by the threat of renewed Israeli strikes on Beirut. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated: 'We promised security to the residents of the north, and we delivered. The declaration includes an unequivocal statement on the disarmament of Hezbollah, the removal of Hezbollah terrorists from the area south of the Litani River, the continued presence of the IDF in the security area, and freedom of action for Israel.'
Far-Right Opposition and US Role
Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir labelled the agreement a 'serious mistake', claiming it would allow Hezbollah to grow stronger. The ceasefire was announced by the US State Department, which aims to ease tensions in Lebanon to address Tehran's demands in Iran war negotiations. Iran has insisted that any peace deal, including an end to hostilities with the US and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, must include Lebanon. The renewal came after Israeli strikes killed at least nine people in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah rockets struck northern Israel.
Continued Violence and Displacement
Local media reported that Israeli airstrikes persisted in southern Lebanon, with one strike causing casualties. The ceasefire depends on the evacuation of all operatives from the area between Israel's border and the Litani River, 20 miles north. This effectively bans Hezbollah gunmen and missile teams from a buffer zone to prevent militant rockets. A US statement said the US would help create 'pilot zones in which the Lebanese Armed Forces will take exclusive control of the territory to the exclusion of all non-state actors.' Hezbollah, a Shia militia and political party with a military stronger than Lebanon's army, is designated a terrorist group by Israel, the US, and the UK. Negotiators from Lebanon and Israel are set to meet again on 22 June for further talks.
Lebanon entered the Iran war on March 2 when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike that killed Iran's supreme leader, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel has intensified attacks on Hezbollah as a truce settlement with Iran loomed. According to Beirut's health ministry, 3,516 people have been killed in Lebanon since the war began. The UN reports over one million displaced in Lebanon, while 26 Israeli soldiers and four Israeli civilians have been killed on both sides of the border.
Gaza Conflict Continues
At least nine Palestinians were killed overnight in strikes in Gaza City, according to Shifa Hospital. These fatalities are the latest since an October ceasefire deal aimed to halt a more than two-year war between Israel and Hamas. Israeli forces have conducted repeated airstrikes and frequently fire on Palestinians near military zones, killing over 936 since the ceasefire. Militants have carried out shooting attacks on troops, and Israel says its strikes respond to truce violations. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire. Israel launched its Gaza offensive in response to Hamas' October 2023 attack that killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.
