After nearly 14 months of war, as the Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel agreed to a ceasefire on Wednesday, it has provided a sense of relief to Lebanon. However, both countries have accused each other of breaching the ceasefire agreement. The fragile truce, brokered by the United States and France, is aimed at ending the war, which has run parallel to the ongoing Gaza war.
Meanwhile, Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip killed at least 42 people on Thursday as bombings intensified and tanks advanced into northern and southern areas of the territory.
Here are the latest updates from west Asia:
Israeli Claims:
Israel said it fired on Thursday at "suspects" arriving in vehicles in the southern zone, calling it a breach of the ceasefire with Hezbollah. Thursday라이브 바카라 airstrike was the first since the truce began on Wednesday. Lebanese security sources and the Al Jadeed broadcaster reported that the strike occurred near Baysariyah, north of the Litani River.
Later on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed the military to prepare for intensified fighting in case of further ceasefire violations.
“We are enforcing powerfully,” Netanyahu told Channel 14. “But if needed, I have instructed the IDF to prepare for an intense war if the ceasefire framework is violated.”
Approximately 50,000 people were displaced in Israel. Some have returned, but communities near the northern border remain largely deserted, according to the Associated Press.
Lebanese Counterclaims:
The Lebanese army accused Israel of violating the ceasefire multiple times on Wednesday and Thursday. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah also accused Israel of breaches, stating, “The Israeli enemy is attacking those returning to border villages.”
At least two people were injured by Israeli fire in southern Lebanon on Thursday, according to state media. Israeli attacks have killed 3,961 people and injured 16,520 since October 2023, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
Around 1.2 million people were displaced in Lebanon, though thousands began returning home on Wednesday.
The Ceasefire Agreement:
Under the ceasefire agreement, there will be an initial two-month pause in hostilities. Hezbollah is required to withdraw its armed presence from southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops are to return to their side of the border. The plan also involves deploying thousands of additional Lebanese troops alongside UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon. An international panel, led by the United States, will oversee compliance. The United States and France brokered the agreement.
War On Gaza Continues:
At least 42 people were killed in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, medical sources told Al Jazeera Arabic. Bombings targeted central areas, while tanks advanced into the northern and southern parts of the enclave.
The head of the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, said on Thursday that at least 70 percent of those killed in Gaza were women and children. He added that the ongoing Israeli offensive in the northern edge of Gaza over the past seven weeks has displaced 130,000 people.
Since October 7, 2023, Israeli attacks have killed 44,330 Palestinians and injured 104,933. On the same day, Hamas-led attacks killed 1,139 people in Israel.
