Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to renew their ceasefire, three officials told European Pulse on Friday, following a surge in fighting in southern Lebanon that threatened to unravel a broader US-Iran accord signed earlier this week.
The renewed hostilities, which included an Israeli airstrike reported by Lebanese media, had cast doubt on the durability of the initial agreement reached Wednesday between US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. That deal was intended to end the war that began on 28 February with US-Israeli strikes.
Negotiations between the United States and Iran, scheduled to take place in Switzerland on Friday, were cancelled amid the escalation. Two regional officials and a US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Qatar, the US, and Iran mediated the new truce. A Hezbollah official confirmed that mediators were working to implement a fresh ceasefire and said an announcement would be made soon, though he was not authorised to comment publicly.
Fragile Ceasefire Under Strain
The initial agreement between Washington and Tehran had not explicitly addressed the situation in Lebanon, leading to conflicting interpretations. Iran insisted the ceasefire must include an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, while Israel maintained the original deal did not cover Lebanon. On Friday, Israel’s military reported that four soldiers were killed, prompting far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to declare that “all of Lebanon must burn.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by stating that Israel would “exact a very heavy price from Hezbollah for these attacks” and that Israeli forces would “remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as required.” The Israeli Defence Forces said on X that they had struck more than 80 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon and killed dozens of members of the Iran-backed group.
Lebanon’s health ministry reported that Israeli airstrikes and bombardments killed at least 47 people on Friday, including seven women and two children, and wounded 97 others. The violence prompted mass evacuations from the city of Tyre, as thousands fled north.
Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the military had not received different instructions from the government and that Israeli forces were operating in a “forward defense zone” and would continue to do so. Netanyahu’s office did not immediately comment on the renewed ceasefire agreement.
The situation underscores the fragility of the US-Iran deal and the complex dynamics between Israel, Hezbollah, and Iran. The European Union has previously called for restraint, and the renewed violence may reignite debates in Brussels about the bloc’s stance on the conflict. A recent rally in Brussels pressed the EU to curb trade with Israeli settlements, highlighting growing political pressure on European governments.
For now, the renewed ceasefire offers a tentative pause, but the underlying tensions remain high. The coming days will test whether the agreement can hold and whether it can pave the way for a more lasting resolution in southern Lebanon.
