Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Comes Into Force; Lebanese Army Tasked With Key Role To Ensure 'Permanent' Peace

Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire: A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon-based Shia Islamist militant group Hezbollah came into effect on Wednesday after both sides accepted an agreement brokered by the US and France, a rare victory for diplomacy in a region wracked by two wars for over a year. 

The now-enforced ceasefire is expected to end the cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that has killed thousands of people since metamorphing into a full-fledged conflict in September this year. While announcing the ceasefire on Tuesday, US President Joe Biden said the agreement was meant to result in a "permanent cessation of hostilities".

Lebanon's army, which is tasked with helping to ensure the ceasefire holds, said it was preparing to deploy to the south of the country. The military asked that residents of border villages delay returning home until the Israeli military, which has waged war against Iran-backed Hezbollah on several occasions and pushed around 6 km (4 miles) into Lebanon, withdraws.

Israel said its military aim had been to ensure the safe return of about 60,000 Israelis who fled from their communities along the northern border when Hezbollah started firing rockets at them in support of Hamas in Gaza. While the ceasefire largely held on Wednesday morning, Israel said it identified Hezbollah operatives returning to areas near the border and had opened fire to prevent them from coming closer.

ISRAEL-LEBANON TRUCE TERMS

- As part of the ceasefire agreement, Lebanon is required to deploy 5,000 of its army troops to the south of the country.

- The terms of the ceasefire agreement dictate that the Hezbollah remove its fighters from the area enclosed by the Litani river in the north and the Blue Line -- the unofficial border between Israel and Lebanon -- in the south within 60 days of the accord's implementation.

- Under the agreemnt, Lebanese army troops shall replace Hezbollah fighters in the aforementioned area and ensure that the Shia Islamist group's weaponry and other infrastructure are dismantled and cannot be rebuilt, according to a senior US official cited by the BBC.

- Israel will gradually withdraw its forces over 60 days as Lebanon's army takes control of territory near its border with Israel to ensure that Hezbollah does not rebuild its infrastructure there after a costly war, Biden said.

(With inputs from Reuters)