Israel Hezbollah Operation: A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon officially began at 5:00 PM EST on Thursday, April 16. The pause in fighting brought happy scenes in Beirut. After the news came out, some people in the Lebanese capital celebrated and gunfire was heard in the city, according to media reports.
The ceasefire announcement was made by U.S. President Donald Trump. He said the deal also covered Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group that has been fighting against Israel. The ceasefire is meant to stop the fighting for now and give both sides a chance to move toward a calmer situation.
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Israel Says the War Mission is Not Finished
Even with the ceasefire in place, Israel made it clear that it does not see the fight as fully over yet. On Friday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military campaign against Hezbollah had made progress, but the job was still not done.
He said, “The ground manoeuver into Lebanon and the strikes on Hezbollah have achieved many gains, but they are still not complete,” Defence Minister Israel Katz in a statement.
Katz also gave a warning about what could happen if the ceasefire breaks down. He said, “If the fighting resumes, those residents who return to the security zone will have to be evacuated to allow completion of the mission,” Katz further warned.
Israel has stopped offensive strikes for now, but Israeli forces are still staying inside a strategic security buffer in southern Lebanon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also showed that Israel is still very alert. He said the country is open to a diplomatic solution, but the military is still fully ready.
Hezbollah Says it is Still Watching Closely
Hezbollah also reacted after the ceasefire started. On Friday, the group said it was not lowering its guard. It warned that it would stay ready in case Israel breaks the deal.
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In a statement, Hezbollah said it had carried out “2,184 military operations” against Israel and Israeli troops inside Lebanon. The group also gave a sharp warning, saying, “The fighters will keep their finger on the trigger because they are wary of the enemy’s treachery.”
