US President Joe Biden announced a ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon but not before an Israeli bombing campaign killed dozens more before the agreement was announced.
“Effective at 04:00 tomorrow local time (02:00 GMT on Wednesday), the fighting across the Lebanese-Israeli border will end,” Biden said
Before the ceasefire was announced, Israel conducted intense strikes across Beirut, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries.
At least 55 people were killed on Monday. This latest assault brought the total death toll since October 2023 to nearly 4,000, with over 15,000 injured.
Lebanon’s parliament is set to convene Wednesday to discuss the ceasefire, while Hezbollah has yet to comment.
Israel’s security cabinet approved the deal with a 10-1 vote, though Netanyahu’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, criticised it as a “historic mistake,” highlighting the ongoing influence of extremist voices in Israeli politics.
Biden said the ceasefire is “designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.”
“Over the next 60 days, the Lebanese army and state security forces will deploy and take control of their own territory once again,” Biden said, adding that Israel would “gradually” withdraw its forces over the same period.
Biden announced that US troops would not be deployed to the Israel-Lebanon border but the US, France and other allies, would assist in implementing the deal.
He also said the US would focus on Gaza, involving Turkey in mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire.
“Over the coming days, the United States will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.”
