Lebanon and Israel have agreed to renew a fragile ceasefire and create “pilot” security zones inside Lebanon in which Hezbollah operatives would be banned, a statement released by the US state department said.
The agreement is contingent on “a complete cessation” of attacks by the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah, among other conditions. Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organisation by Israel and many other countries, including the UK and US.
The deal was announced on Wednesday, after Lebanon and Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel and Israeli strikes killed at least nine people in southern Lebanon.
Lebanese state media has also reported that Israeli strikes continued on Thursday, with at least one strike causing casualties. BBC Correspondent John Sudworth explains why the ceasefire is so fragile in this report from the Hezbollah stronghold of Dahieh, in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
