Israel and Hezbollah Begin Truce

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect Friday afternoon, following an escalation of violence in southern Lebanon. At least 47 people were killed in Israeli strikes and four Israeli soldiers were killed by Hezbollah attacks.

The truce was mediated by the United States and Qatar, with support from Iran. It aims to contain clashes that threatened to derail the interim agreement between the U. S. and Iran signed this week.

As a result of the fighting, a meeting scheduled for Friday in Switzerland between U. S. and Iranian representatives to discuss the agreement's implementation was canceled. U. S. Vice President JD Vance will not travel to Europe for the negotiations, a White House official confirmed.

President Donald Trump had pushed for a complete ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel. The interim U. S. -Iran agreement includes lifting the naval blockade of Iranian ports and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Its implementation depends on de-escalation in Lebanon, as demanded by the parties.