Ceasefire in Lebanon Takes Effect Amid Israeli Violations

SadaNews - The ceasefire agreement between "Hezbollah" and Israel in Lebanon came into effect at midnight Thursday - Friday, hours after it was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, who also stated that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet in the White House within days.

If this happens, it will be the first meeting at this level between the two countries, which have been in a state of official war since 1948. Both "Hezbollah," which began the confrontation on March 2 in solidarity with Iran, and Israel announced their commitment to the ceasefire.

On the ground, the Lebanese army accused Israel of violating the ceasefire after shelling several areas in southern Lebanon, while warning citizens against returning to southern villages amid ongoing field tensions.

On Friday morning, the Lebanese army stated that Israel had repeatedly violated the ceasefire agreement since it came into effect at midnight, referring to shelling that targeted several villages in southern Lebanon.

The army leadership urged citizens to delay their return to their towns and southern villages, given the continued violations and Israeli assaults, in addition to intermittent shelling affecting various areas, with no comment from the Israeli army yet.

Lebanese security sources reported that artillery shells fell near the coastal city of Tyre shortly after the ceasefire began, and also noted that a drone targeted a vehicle in one of the southern towns.

Conversely, reports indicated that rockets were fired by Hezbollah towards northern Israel just before the ceasefire took effect, resulting in three people being injured by shrapnel, according to Israeli emergency teams.

It was observed that tens of thousands of Lebanese flocked to the southern suburbs and their villages despite warnings from both the Lebanese and Israeli armies to refrain from doing so.