A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, brokered by the United States and France, is set to take effect on Wednesday, as announced by US President Joe Biden.
The agreement aims to end the deadly conflict, which is tied to last year’s Gaza war, and Biden referred to it as a “permanent cessation of hostilities,” emphasizing that Hezbollah and other groups would no longer threaten Israel’s security.
Read more: Israel, Lebanon Near Ceasefire Agreement
The ceasefire will begin at 4 am local time (0200 GMT), with Israel withdrawing its forces within 60 days. In the meantime, the Lebanese army will deploy at least 5,000 troops to secure the border and prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its infrastructure.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his commitment to the ceasefire but warned of forceful retaliation for any violations. He noted that this agreement would allow Israel to focus on other threats, such as Iran, while replenishing its military and countering Hamas.
Netanyahu emphasized that Hezbollah had been significantly weakened, with considerable losses to its leadership, weapons, and infrastructure, and vowed to take decisive action against any rearming attempts by Hezbollah.
