Israel and Hezbollah agree ceasefire, US says, as more Lebanon strikes reported
BBC News 2026-06-19 19:27:12
Context: In southern Lebanon, a ceasefire has been agreed upon between Israel and Hezbollah, according to a US official, following intense Israeli air strikes that killed 47 people and wounded 97, including women and children. The agreement aims to end the clashes that have been undermining the deal between the US and Iran. However, despite the ceasefire, rescue officials reported at least 12 air strikes in the city of Nabatieh.
Key Facts
- Israeli air strikes overnight into Friday killed 47 people, including women and children, and wounded 97 in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon's health ministry.
- The US official confirmed that Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire, which began at 16:00 local time (13:00 GMT), despite reports of continued clashes.
- Hezbollah's secretary general, Sheikh Naim Qassem, stated that "The project to eliminate Hezbollah has failed, and the Israelis will withdraw from every last inch of our land," while an Israeli military spokesman said the military would "continue to remove immediate threats".
- The clashes erupted when Hezbollah ambushed an Israeli group in southern Lebanon, destroying three tanks with guided missiles and targeting troops with rocket and artillery fire, killing a battalion commander and three other Israeli soldiers.
- Since the latest conflict began, more than 3,900 people have been killed, and over 11,600 others wounded in Lebanon, with around a million people displaced and dozens of communities in the south completely destroyed.