More than a year since the deadliest confrontation between the two sides started, Israel and the Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah have agreed on a ceasefire. The ceasefire deal was brokered by the United States and France and will come into effect on Wednesday, at which point "all fire will stop from all parties."
According to the ceasefire deal, Israel, which launched a ground invasion of Lebanon in October, will withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon over the next 60 days.
To comply with the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah must also withdraw from the southern border with Israel and move further north up the Litani River.
The area, often referred to as the Blue Line, will then be controlled by Lebanese soldiers and UN peacekeepers.
US President Joe Biden, who played a key role in the ceasefire deal, said that "Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon will not be allowed to be rebuilt."
He also warned that any violation of the ceasefire deal could result in more punitive actions by Israel.
"If Hezbollah or anyone else breaks the deal and poses a direct threat to Israel, then Israel retains the right to self-defence consistent with international law," Biden said.
Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, also expressed cautious optimism and said the duration of the ceasefire would depend on developments in Lebanon, which suggested that the truce could be a temporary measure.
Welcoming the ceasefire deal, Lebanon's Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, described the proposal as a "fundamental step towards restoring calm and stability in Lebanon and enabling displaced persons to return to their towns and cities."
The ceasefire deal comes at a time when Hezbollah, once considered the strongest non-state military in the world, has been reduced to a shell of its former self. In the past year, Hezbollah has suffered significant losses in terms of both leadership and fighting capabilities. Even among the Lebanese population, Hezbollah has seen its influence and support reduced due to the heavy price civilians had to pay for a war they did not start.
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