Israel and Hezbollah sign ceasefire agreement

Representatives of Israel and the Iran‑backed Hezbollah group reached a ceasefire on Friday, with the United States, Iran and Qatar acting as mediators. The truce took effect at 16:00 local time, ending the latest round of fighting in southern Lebanon that had killed 21 civilians and wounded several others.

The agreement calls for an immediate halt to hostilities but does not require Israeli forces to withdraw from the south. Four Israeli soldiers were reported killed in the clashes that preceded the deal. A planned US‑Iran meeting in Switzerland was cancelled following the renewed violence.

A diplomat from the Persian Gulf region confirmed to AFP that the parties “have agreed to stop the fighting according to the accord, with Qatar, the United States and Iran as mediators.”