Middle East crisis live: UN chief calls for Israel-Lebanon ceasefire to be ‘fully’ respected as it comes into effect | US-Israel war on Iran
important events
US President Donald Trump published a brief statement on Truth Social regarding the 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
“This could be a historic day for Lebanon. Good things are happening!!!” Trump wrote, signing as “President DJT.”
Welcome summary
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres Welcomed the ceasefire declared on Thursday Israel And LebanonIt calls on “all actors” to fully respect the ceasefire.
“The Secretary-General welcomed the declaration of a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and praised Israel’s role” United States Guterres’ spokesman made it easier Stephane Dujarric In his statement, he added that he hoped that a temporary cessation of hostilities would “pave the way for negotiations.”
The ceasefire came into effect at midnight (2100 GMT) on Thursday in Lebanon, where Israel has launched devastating airstrikes aimed at eliminating Iran-backed forces. Hezbollah militia.
The Lebanese army warned people displaced from southern Lebanon due to intermittent shelling reported after the ceasefire came into force to return to their homes.
Ceasefire conditions provided by the US State Department prohibit Israel from taking military offensive actions in Lebanon. But they appear to leave more room for “self-defense,” including “against planned, imminent or ongoing attacks.”
We will bring you more on this topic soon. Here’s a summary of other important developments:
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A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has come into force in the devastating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that has left more than 2,100 Lebanese dead and more than 2.1 million displaced. The agreement was previously announced by Donald Trump, who said he had met with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese president Joseph Aoun and invited both leaders to “meaningful talks” at the White House. Both leaders welcomed the agreement. However, the key question is how long the ceasefire will last, as both Israel and Hezbollah maintain the right to defend themselves in case the ceasefire is broken. Here is our report.
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Netanyahu called it a “historic” opportunity for peace, but refused to withdraw his troops from southern Lebanon during the pause in fighting. “We are staying in the extended security zone in Lebanon” because of the “danger of invasion” and to avoid opening fire on Israel, he said. “We are here and we will not leave.” The Israeli prime minister argued that his main demand was the disintegration of Hezbollah. While it previously announced its intention to invade southern Lebanon up to the Litani River (about 30 km from the border), Lebanon demands a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and the ability of displaced residents to return to their homes.
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Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei welcomed the ceasefire and emphasized that it was already part of the original agreement signed between Iran and the United States. Pakistan. Baghaei said Iran “from the very beginning” had emphasized the need for a “simultaneous ceasefire across the region, including Lebanon” and expressed its “solidarity” with the Lebanese people and government. He called for displaced residents to return to their homes and stressed the need for a “complete withdrawal” of Israeli forces from the south of the country – which, as previously noted, Israel refused to do.
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Lebanese army appealed to citizens “Exert restrictions” on returning to their villages and towns in southern Lebanon before the ceasefire came into effect. Even then, residents should stay away from areas occupied by Israeli forces, the military added. This was followed by a similar statement by Hezbollah, urging caution due to Israel’s history of “violating conventions and agreements”.
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The Israeli army issued an urgent warning to the people of southern Lebanon not to return south of the Litani River Even though the ceasefire came into force.
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In the hours before the ceasefire came into force, Israel and Hezbollah continued to exchange fire. With the ceasefire coming into force, the Israeli army announced that it had hit more than 380 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon in the last 24 hours, including rocket launchers, headquarters and Hezbollah members. Meanwhile, the health ministry said on Thursday that dozens of people were killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanese towns and villages, including an attack on the town of Ghazieh that left at least seven people dead and 33 injured.
