Israel and Lebanon have agreed to “the implementation of a ceasefire,” but it is contingent on “a complete cessation” of Hezbollah fire and removal of all Hezbollah operatives from southern Lebanon, according to a joint statement released Wednesday after the latest round of US-mediated talks.
Hezbollah is not party to the deal, however, and the leader of the Iran-backed militant group rejected the pact.
The ceasefire agreement came after the Israeli government threatened to escalate its actions in Lebanon — a move that threatens to derail US-Iran peace talks. The ongoing ceasefire has seen repeated violations as Israel and Hezbollah have continued to trade strikes.
Meanwhile, Tehran and Washington have issued contradictory messages over the status of their own ceasefire…