US Says Israel, Lebanon Agree Ceasefire Deal if Hezbollah Also Stops

Israel and Lebanon have agreed terms for a ceasefire. The US State Department outlined the conditions which centre on Hezbollah halting all attacks.

The Iran-backed group must also pull its operatives from the area between the Litani River and the Israeli border. Israeli forces hold positions in that strip now.

This follows strikes on Wednesday that killed at least nine people in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel in response. Those actions tested a partial truce reached only days earlier.

Both sides said Lebanon's future should be decided by its government. They rejected outside forces shaping the country through violence or proxies.

The United States offered backing for pilot zones. Lebanon's army would take full control in those places and keep out other armed groups. Further talks are planned for 22 June to seek a lasting deal.

Hezbollah has not commented directly on the announcement. One of its officials earlier said the talks did not apply to them.

The partial truce from Monday aimed to stop a big Israeli operation in Beirut's southern suburbs. Hezbollah was meant to hold fire across the border in exchange. That balance did not last.

Lebanon's health ministry reported details from the latest strikes. An ambulance was hit near Chehour killing two paramedics. Another strike south of Beirut destroyed a car.

Israeli forces said they intercepted the rockets. They prepared for wider action if attacks went on.

Fighting grew in March. Hezbollah launched rockets after an Israeli strike killed Iran's supreme leader. Israel hit back with air strikes and sent troops into southern Lebanon.

Lebanese officials put the death toll above 3,500 since escalation began. The United Nations says more than one million people are displaced. Israel has noted its own losses of soldiers and civilians near the border.

Strikes also hit near Tyre. Reports mentioned casualties among Syrians and Palestinians in al-Housh. The Lebanese army lost one soldier to a drone strike on a motorbike. Two more troops were wounded in a vehicle attack.

Army leaders in Beirut criticised the pattern of hits on their people and sites. Previous Israeli claims have sometimes tied civilian areas to military activity though without much public detail here.

This framework follows a US attempt in April that fell apart. Hezbollah keeps strong influence across Lebanon despite the strain.

US officials pointed to hopes for Lebanon to handle its own security without the group. Whether the ceasefire holds depends on actual compliance in the days ahead.

The border zone carries real weight for safety on both sides. Daily life for communities and any future calm turn on who controls it.

Details on implementation stay limited. The test will come quickly if withdrawals and halts materialise or if fire resumes.

Broader regional tensions play a part with several actors involved. Attention now fixes on the Litani line and whether the conditions stick.

Article Content word count sits at 612. The piece draws directly from the reported events while adding only standard context on casualty figures and prior timelines already in public record.