The Lebanese army has accused Israel of violating a newly agreed ceasefire with Lebanon, just hours after the truce came into force at midnight.
According to Lebanese military officials, several villages in the south of the country were reportedly hit by intermittent shelling, prompting warnings for civilians to delay returning to affected areas. The Israeli military had not immediately responded to the claims, and the reports have not been independently verified.
The ceasefire, which is set to last 10 days, follows weeks of escalating violence, including Israeli airstrikes and a ground offensive in southern Lebanon, as well as cross-border attacks by Hezbollah targeting northern Israel.
The truce had been seen as a potential step toward broader de-escalation in the region, particularly amid ongoing tensions involving Iran, United States and Israel.
In a statement posted on social media, Donald Trump described the ceasefire as “historic” and urged all sides to maintain calm, saying the region “must finally have peace.”
However, early developments appear to have complicated those hopes. Hezbollah has said any ceasefire must apply across all Lebanese territory and warned against granting Israeli forces operational freedom.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that the agreement does not require a withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon, a position that could further strain the fragile truce.
The situation remains fluid, with uncertainty over whether the ceasefire can hold and whether it could lead to a wider reduction in hostilities across the region.