Israel approved a cease-fire with Lebanon that is intended to bring a halt to more than a year of fighting with the Hezbollah militia and could help defuse a broader regional crisis that has threatened to ensnare the U.S. and other world powers.
“I have some good news to report from the Middle East,” President Biden said on Tuesday, announcing a cease-fire that he said would begin at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backed the agreement earlier in the day, saying it would let Israel focus on the threat from Iran, allow the Israeli military to rest and rearm, and isolate Hamas.“The continuation of the cease-fire will be dependent on what happens in Lebanon.
We will enforce the agreement and respond forcefully to every violation,” Netanyahu said.Lebanon’s prime minister, Najib Mikati, welcomed the agreement, saying it would bring “calm and stability in Lebanon and the return of the displaced to their homes and cities.”
The Lebanese cabinet is expected to meet on Wednesday to approve steps to enforce the cease-fire, including sending government security forces to areas of southern Lebanon near the border with Israel.
Hezbollah has indicated openness to a deal in recent days. “What concerns us are Lebanese national measures and the protection of sovereignty,” Hassan Fadlallah, a member of Parliament affiliated with the group, told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.
The announcements came after a day of heavy bombardment of Beirut while Israeli ground forces advanced deeper into Lebanese territory. Minutes after Biden spoke, a series of explosions thundered in Beirut. Northern Israel also came under renewed rocket fire.
There was no immediate public comment from Hezbollah on the announced cease-fire.
If implemented, the agreement would be a diplomatic success for Biden in the twilight of his administration, after more than a year in which the White House has tried to fend off the possibility of a wider regional war.
It could also change the landscape that President-elect Donald Trump will face when he takes office in January.
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I don't comment on the ceasefire because i don't know if netanyahu will respect it, he always broke these deals in the past in Gaza.
So far Hezbollah is victorious: Still have the same military capabilities that they had in the beginning, destroyed 63 Merkava Tanks in less than 60 days, Israel made no big advance, kept bombing civilian buildings which is not an achievement in war, especially when you have the most equipped army in the region.
Also a good evidence of the israeli defeat: they had to take a photo shoot at 3.5km from the border, after 57 days, to be able to say "we crossed the litani river" all while claiming they went 10km in to take these pictures.
@SeahorseHarperGreen1yr1Y
Oh the last day of the fight before the ceasefire they lied and claimed they are 10km into Lebanon when it was less than 4Km and had a photo op for their home audience to show ‘victory’. If that doesn’t tell you the invasion went badly nothing will lol
@GrumpyQu0rumGreen1yr1Y
All the IDF is good for is shooting defenseless babies. When it comes to actual resistance they can’t do **** . What a joke they are.
Once again Israel has demonstrated that appeasement doesn't result in a cease fire - a show of strength does.
I don't comment on the ceasefire because i don't know if netanyahu will respect it, he always broke these deals in the past in Gaza.
So far Hezbollah is victorious: Still have the same military capabilities that they had in the beginning, destroyed 63 Merkava Tanks in less than 60 days, Israel made no big advance, kept bombing civilian buildings which is not an achievement in war, especially when you have the most equipped army in the region.
Also a good evidence of the israeli defeat: they had to take a photo shoot at 3.5km from the border, after 57 days, to be able to say "we crossed the litani river" all while claiming they went 10km in to take these pictures.
@BoldChileRepublican1yr1Y
remember to tell all those democrats who fantasized about lebanese people getting slaughtered under trump because arab americans didnt vote for their candidate
@ZestyStorkDemocrat1yr1Y
HE DID NOT MENTION THE AMERICAN HOSTAGES. This is not a ceasefire. This is Iran pulling back their proxies to get prepared for the Trump administration. Why wasn’t a release of the hostages negotiated?
Unfortunately, this will probably not lead to a permanent resolution of the war. The Lebanese and UN have never enforced a demilitarized zone and are unlikely to do so now. However even a temporary respite from terrorism in northern Israel while continuing to fight Iran and its proxies elsewhere is worthwhile.
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