The permanent ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has been accepted, says Biden

After a years-long conflict between the Jewish state and Iranian-backed groups, Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah agreed to a permanent ceasefire in cross-border hostilities on Tuesday.

President Joe Biden announced the deal brokered by France and the US

“Under the agreement reached today, which takes effect tomorrow at 4:00 a.m. local time, the fighting across the Lebanese-Israeli border will end,” Biden said in the Rose Garden of the White House.

“This should mean a permanent cessation of hostilities,” he added. “What remains of Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations will, I emphasize, not be allowed to endanger Israel’s security again.”

Neighboring Middle Eastern countries have been exchanging fire since October 2023 after Israel launched a widespread military retaliation campaign in the Gaza Strip in response to a terrorist attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Jewish state.

“Over the next 60 days, the Lebanese army and state security forces will deploy and take control of their own territory,” Biden said. “And over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw its remaining forces.”

“Civilians on both sides will soon be able to safely return to their communities and begin rebuilding their homes, their schools, their farms, their businesses and their lives themselves,” the outgoing president said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address that he supported the ceasefire agreement, which he sent to his Cabinet for approval.

“The ceasefire allows us to focus on the Iranian threat,” Netanyahu said. “We will complete the elimination of Hamas, the return of all hostages and the return of the residents of the north.”

Biden said the United States had no plans to send American troops to southern Lebanon.

“This is consistent with my commitment to the American people not to commit U.S. troops to combat in this conflict,” he said. “Instead, together with France and others, we will provide the necessary assistance to ensure that this agreement is fully and effectively implemented.”

Hezbollah attributes its hostilities to solidarity with Palestinian civilians, while Israel invokes the right to self-defense. The cross-border conflict has worsened since the summer after Israel carried out airstrikes in late September that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and then carried out a ground invasion on October 1.

Hostilities continued on Tuesday amid diplomatic overtures, with Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee announcing in a Google-translated social media update that the Jewish state would “extensively” attack Hezbollah targets in Beirut.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah carried out rocket attacks against an infantry training camp in Shavei Tzion in northern Israel, according to Hezbollah-allied media outlet Al-Manar.

Speaking to the UN special envoy to Lebanon, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called for “effective enforcement” by the UN if a ceasefire were implemented.

He warned in a Google-translated statement from his office that the Jewish state “will act against any threat, anytime, anywhere” and that “every house in southern Lebanon that is rebuilt and where a terrorist base is established will be demolished, every one “Terrorist weapons and organizations will be attacked, any attempt to smuggle weapons will be thwarted, and any threat to our armed forces or Israeli citizens will be immediately destroyed.”

The diplomatic breakthrough had been widely called for by the international community, which has also repeatedly pushed for an end to the offensives in the Gaza Strip to stem the growing humanitarian crisis. Israel and Hamas had already observed a ceasefire that lasted about a week in November last year.

“With regard to the proposed agreement negotiated by the United States and France, Israel has taken into account all security concerns,” outgoing European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters in Italy early Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.

“There is no excuse for not implementing a ceasefire. Otherwise, Lebanon will fall apart.”

This breaking news story will be updated.