Israel and Hezbollah Agree to Ceasefire Amid Escalating Conflict

Israel and Hezbollah have agreed on a ceasefire on Friday, three officials confirmed, after fighting between the two sides in southern Lebanon threatened to put into jeopardy an initial agreement reached between Iran and the United States on Wednesday, aimed at ending the war.

Negotiations between Washington and Tehran, meant to take place in Switzerland on Friday, were cancelled amid the fighting.

Qatar, the US and Iran mediated the truce, two regional officials and a US official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. A Hezbollah official also confirmed mediators' attempts.

An agreement would be announced soon, he said, adding that he was speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to comment publicly on the matter.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office did not immediately comment.

Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the military has not received different instructions from the government, adding Israeli forces were operating in a “forward defence zone” and will keep doing so.

US President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, signed a deal on Wednesday aimed at ending the war that began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes.

Iran has insisted the ceasefire should include the withdrawal of Israel from southern Lebanon, while Israel claimed the initial agreement did not include Lebanon.

Friday, Israel's military reported four soldiers were killed, prompting far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to claim "All of Lebanon must burn."

For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would "extract a very heavy price from Hezbollah for these attacks" and that Israeli forces would "remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as required."

Israeli Defence Forces said Friday on X that it hit more than 80 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon and killed dozens of members of the Iran-backed militant group.

Israeli airstrikes and bombardments killed at least 47 people, including at least seven women and two children, and wounded 97 others in Lebanon on Friday, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

Lebanese state media reported an Israeli airstrike on the country's south on Friday, soon after a US official said Israel and Hezbollah had agreed a ceasefire..

A previous truce was agreed in April, but it did not stop attacks by either side.