Israel And Hezbollah Renew Truce After 47 Killed In Lebanon On Friday As Ceasefire Returns And Witkoff Heads To Switzerland
According to CNN, Israel and Hezbollah renewed their ceasefire on Friday after a deadly flare-up threatened to derail the broader US-Iran agreement signed days earlier.
The Israeli military killed at least 47 people in Lebanon on Friday, the Lebanese health ministry said, including two children, making it the second deadliest day since hostilities reignited in March. The strikes came after Hezbollah killed four Israeli soldiers overnight.
By Friday afternoon, both sides had agreed to a renewed truce, though Hezbollah parliamentary member Ibrahim al-Moussawi warned, “we have the right to respond,” if Israel does not abide by it.
This matters because Lebanon’s violence kept threatening to unravel the fragile 14-point US-Iran memorandum signed just days ago, with envoy Steve Witkoff now heading to Switzerland and Jared Kushner expected to join technical talks.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun pressed Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a “comprehensive ceasefire” covering all Israeli attacks, not another pause before the next escalation.
Check out our previous coverage of the Iran-Israel war and Middle East diplomacy here.
