Israel, Hezbollah Agree to Ceasefire After Clashes in Lebanon

Israel and Hezbollah have reached a ceasefire agreement that is scheduled to take effect at 4 pm local time on Friday, according to media reports citing a senior US official. The official said both sides had agreed to halt hostilities after earlier clashes, adding that negotiators from the United States and Qatar, with support from Iran, helped finalise the agreement. He noted that despite exchanges of fire earlier in the day, both Israel and Hezbollah had now committed to the truce. A Gulf diplomat also confirmed that the ceasefire deal was successfully mediated on Friday through joint efforts by Qatar, the US, and Iran, following deadly confrontations that had placed immediate pressure on the recently reached US-Iran peace arrangement. According to the diplomat, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the negotiations, both Israel and Hezbollah agreed to suspend military operations under the mediated deal, with the ceasefire expected to come into force later Friday afternoon local time. Iran Condemns Israeli Attacks in Lebanon, Holds US Responsible