Israel and Lebanon agree on conditional ceasefire under US mediation
Israel and Lebanon have announced an agreement for a ceasefire following two days of talks in Washington mediated by the United States. The agreement is conditional upon the full cessation of hostilities by Hezbollah and the withdrawal of its forces from areas south of the Litani River. The deal includes the establishment of pilot zones under the exclusive control of the Lebanese Armed Forces to exclude non-state actors. Despite the announcement, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that military operations in southern Lebanon will continue for the time being, and residents who were displaced are not yet authorized to return. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir criticized the agreement as a serious mistake and a delusion. Meanwhile, reports from Lebanon indicate that Israeli strikes continue, including an attack on an ambulance in Zebdine that resulted in one fatality. Military officials also reported a false alarm regarding an aircraft intrusion near the northern Israeli border.