Ceasefire Efforts Between Israel and Hezbollah Face Uncertainty

The United States supported a ceasefire initiative between Israel and Hezbollah, a group backed by Iran. This ceasefire was expected to take effect on Friday afternoon. Efforts are being made by Washington to develop a broader regional arrangement with Iran after planned talks in Switzerland were postponed unexpectedly.

The ceasefire was scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Eastern Time, or 4 p.m. local time, according to senior officials from the U.S. and Israel. Details about whether the ceasefire has officially commenced remain controversial. The White House has not issued a public statement confirming the implementation of the ceasefire.

A Hezbollah representative communicated to Fox News Digital that the group would adhere to the ceasefire if Israel does. However, the representative claimed that the ceasefire had not yet started, citing ongoing Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon over an hour after the official start time.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video after the local ceasefire start time. He stated that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had targeted and struck Hezbollah sites in Lebanon. Fox News Digital has not independently verified when these strikes occurred.

“As I instructed, the IDF struck powerfully 150 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and eliminated dozens of terrorists,” Netanyahu wrote on X.

IDF spokesperson Effie Defrin reported that Hezbollah attacks had resulted in the deaths of four Israeli soldiers early on Friday.

An Israeli official mentioned that Israel intends to comply with the ceasefire agreement. “If Hezbollah doesn’t shoot, we won’t shoot. If they shoot – we will respond,” the official remarked to Fox News Digital.

This ceasefire agreement followed the delay of negotiation plans between the U.S. and Iran, initially set for Switzerland. No reasons for the postponement have been provided by the White House.

Former President Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with Netanyahu regarding the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah. Speaking at the G7 conference in France, Trump emphasized the need to avoid excessive military reprisals in Lebanon that lead to civilian casualties.

“Bibi has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon,” Trump said. He emphasized that civilian lives should be considered to prevent unnecessary harm.

Hezbollah is backed by Iran and designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. The conflict with Israel has persisted for decades. Recent hostilities involve Hezbollah’s use of rockets and drones against Israel, prompting Israeli retaliatory strikes.

A White House spokesperson remarked that planned technical talks involving the U.S. have yet to be finalized. Efforts are ongoing to organize the logistics of these negotiations.

The Iranian foreign ministry denied reports about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and reassured safe passage for commercial ships. Mine-clearing activities have slowed traffic through the strait, according to another Iranian official.

U.S. officials shared that a memorandum was signed involving a 60-day negotiation period focusing on Iran’s nuclear program. They clarified that withdrawal of U.S. forces near Iran is contingent on a final agreement.

The memorandum calls for the “immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.” U.S. officials reported the inclusion of oil sanctions waivers for Iran and a process to address Iran’s nuclear program in the agreement.

Efforts to obtain comments from the Pentagon, Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, and Iranian Foreign Ministry prior to publication were unsuccessful.