A 10-day ceasefire took effect overnight in Lebanon (Image: Getty)
The Lebanese military has accused Israel of committing “a number of violations” of the ceasefire agreement, just hours after it came into force. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed on a 10-day truce after discussions with Donald Trump, but it already appears fragile.
“Several Israeli attacks” and “intermittent shelling targeting a number of villages” were recorded by the military in southern Lebanon just hours after the ceasefire began. The army urged citizens to “exercise caution in returning to the southern villages and towns, amid a number of violations of the agreement”.
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Israel has been accused of violating the ceasefire. (Image: Getty)
Earlier, it warned people against returning to areas in the south of the country even after the ceasefire came into effect, NBC News reports.
Despite Netanyahu agreeing to the peace deal and lauding the opportunity “to achieve a historic peace agreement”, he did not order the retreat of troops from Lebanon – one of Hezbollah’s demands.
He said the IDF would remain in the country “as an expanded security zone” to reduce the “danger of an invasion” and fire into Israel. Hezbollah argued the presence of Israeli troops granted citizens “the right to resist”.
While it welcomed the news of the ceasefire, Iran also called for a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, a foreign ministry spokesperson said.
If the ceasefire holds, the US President said he would invite Aoun and Netanyahu to the White House for “meaningful talks” in a post on Truth Social.
He wrote: “I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel.
“These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5 P.M. EST.
“On Tuesday, the two Countries met for the first time in 34 years here in Washington, D.C., with our Great Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
“I have directed Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Rubio, together with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Razin’ Caine, to work with Israel and Lebanon to achieve a Lasting PEACE.
“It has been my Honor to solve 9 Wars across the World, and this will be my 10th, so let’s, GET IT DONE! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
