Lebanon announced on Monday that Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a limited ceasefire intended to reduce hostilities around Beirut. However, clashes persisted in southern Lebanon, highlighting the fragile nature of this arrangement.
This development represents the first notable attempt to ease tensions in a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives and is closely linked to the broader confrontation involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.
Lebanese officials clarified that this understanding does not constitute a full ceasefire. Israel is expected to suspend strikes on Beirut and Hezbollah-controlled areas nearby, while Hezbollah would pause attacks on Israeli territory.
Despite this announcement, military activity continued in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces have been conducting ground operations since March. Early Tuesday, the Israeli military intercepted two rockets fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel, with no casualties reported.
US President Donald Trump, who first revealed details of the arrangement, stated that Hezbollah communicated through intermediaries its intention to refrain from attacking Israel. He also mentioned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to withdraw forces preparing for operations against Beirut.
Nevertheless, Netanyahu later emphasized that military operations in southern Lebanon would persist. Israeli troops are advancing toward the Zaharani River, marking the deepest Israeli incursion into Lebanon in over two decades.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah welcomed moves toward a broader ceasefire, but stressed that any lasting agreement would require Israeli forces to withdraw from Lebanese territory. He did not explicitly confirm that Hezbollah would halt all attacks on Israel.
Lebanese authorities intend to expand the agreement through talks with Israeli representatives scheduled in Washington later this week.
This limited truce could potentially revive diplomatic efforts to resolve the wider regional conflict triggered by US and Israeli military actions against Iran earlier this year. Negotiations for a broader settlement have stalled for weeks despite a fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
The Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which began in early March, is seen as an extension of the larger regional confrontation. Iran has repeatedly insisted that Israeli military operations in Lebanon must cease as part of any comprehensive agreement. Conversely, the United States argues that Lebanon-related developments should be handled separately from Iran negotiations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that any ceasefire involving Iran and the US should cover all fronts, including Lebanon. Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported Tehran’s suspension of indirect talks with Washington and consideration of abandoning the ceasefire framework that has mostly held since April, though officials have not confirmed these reports.
President Trump dismissed concerns over the talks, denying receipt of such messages from Tehran and describing the negotiations as increasingly unproductive. He appeared unconcerned about their potential collapse.
Despite Trump’s repeated claims since March that a peace deal was near, no formal agreement has been reached. Recently, both Iran and the US have accused each other of limited military strikes despite the ceasefire.
Adding to regional instability, Iran’s Esmaeil Qaani warned that Tehran might extend disruptions to maritime traffic from the Strait of Hormuz to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial shipping route linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
This threat has intensified concerns over energy supplies, as Iran’s actions in the Gulf have already disrupted shipping lanes that handle a significant portion of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports.
Consequently, oil prices rose approximately 4 percent on Monday amid fears that escalating tensions could further impact global energy markets.
