Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire in Lebanon after overnight strikes killed at least 47 people, according to the health ministry. The ceasefire came into effect at 16:00 local time (14:00 BST), but reports indicate that Israeli strikes have continued despite the agreement.

Response to Hezbollah and US-Iran Deal

Israel said the strikes were in response to repeated violations by Hezbollah, including an attack overnight that killed four IDF soldiers. The IDF has vowed to “continue to remove immediate threats” and to “respond to Hezbollah’s violations.”

According to BBC, the ceasefire is an early test of the US-Iran deal signed earlier this week, which requires an “immediate and permanent” termination of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that any breach of commitments “will be attributed to the US.”

Political Reactions and Continued Tensions

Donald Trump has expressed growing frustration with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, saying: “You don’t have to knock down a building every time someone walks into it that’s from Hezbollah.” Trump is desperate to avoid derailing the Iran deal, while Netanyahu is under pressure to placate both Trump and the Israeli public.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel opposed a withdrawal from the roughly 5% of Lebanese territory it has occupied and pledged that if Iran attacked Israel due to events in Lebanon, it would strike “with full force.”

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir stated on X that “Trump’s agreement does not bind us” and vowed to dismantle Hezbollah. Opposition figure Yair Golan said the deal had been “made over Israel’s head.”

Continued Strikes and Evacuations

According to AOL.com, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that an Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle in Kfar Tebnit in south Lebanon, killing one person. This would mark the first lethal Israeli strike on Lebanon since the announcement of a deal to end the Middle East conflict on all fronts.

After a strike on Tyre, the IDF issued an evacuation order across the area. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson, announced the order on X, writing, “As the Hezbollah terrorist organization has violated the ceasefire agreement and attacked Israel’s home front, the Defense Forces have no choice but to respond forcefully,” and, “Remaining near Hezbollah operatives or their facilities will put your life at risk.” After the evacuation order, a mass displacement unfolded in Tyre.

Iran’s Islamic Major Guard Corps (IRGC) said the previous day that it would halt attacks toward Israel and warned that “if attacks continue in areas including southern Lebanon, harsher and more powerful measures than before will follow.”