Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group agreed on Friday to halt heavy fighting along the Lebanon border after days of intense clashes threatened to undermine a wider interim agreement brokered between the United States and Iran to end their conflict, according to officials familiar with the matter.

Despite the truce effort, neither Israel nor Hezbollah immediately confirmed that a ceasefire had taken effect. The latest violence, which killed 47 people in Lebanon and four Israeli soldiers, had already delayed negotiations scheduled to begin in Switzerland under the broader US-Iran agreement aimed at reviving talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Mediators Work to Secure Halt in Fighting

The latest attempt to stop hostilities came after months of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which erupted soon after the wider regional war began. Hezbollah launched rockets and drones towards communities in northern Israel, while Israeli forces expanded operations into southern Lebanon.

Although the interim US-Iran agreement calls for military operations in Lebanon to cease and for the country’s sovereignty to be respected, neither Israel nor Hezbollah is a signatory to the deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that Israeli troops will remain in southern Lebanon until the threat posed by Hezbollah is removed. Hezbollah, meanwhile, has insisted it will not stop attacks unless Israel commits to withdrawing from Lebanese territory, a condition also supported by Iran.

According to two regional officials and a US official, the truce initiative was mediated by Qatar, the United States and Iran. Another US official said the ceasefire was expected to take effect at 4 pm local time.

However, artillery fire and explosions were still reported along the border hours later. An Associated Press journalist in northern Israel reported hearing Israeli shelling and witnessing a large explosion inside Lebanon.

Israel and Hezbollah Continue Accusations

A Hezbollah official said an announcement regarding a halt in fighting could come soon but stopped short of confirming that an agreement had already taken effect.

Netanyahu’s office did not immediately issue an official response. However, the Israeli leader said on X that the military had, on his instructions, “struck powerfully” against 150 Hezbollah targets and killed dozens of militants.

Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said the army had received no new orders and would continue operating in what he described as a “forward defence zone”.

Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, stated on X that Israel remained committed to an immediate ceasefire provided Hezbollah respected the arrangement and ceased hostilities.

The Israeli military said four soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel, were killed when a tank came under attack near the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh. Five other soldiers were wounded in an explosive drone strike.

In response, Israeli forces carried out attacks on what they described as Hezbollah infrastructure in Nabatiyeh and elsewhere, accusing the group of violating the ceasefire. Additional strikes were reported in the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon, while Lebanese media said the village of Douris had also come under attack.

“Israel will not tolerate attacks on our soldiers or on our territory, and it will exact a very heavy price from Hezbollah for these attacks,” Netanyahu said.

Hezbollah said its attacks targeted Israeli tanks after Israeli forces attempted to advance towards the northern side of Ali al-Taher hill, a strategic position overlooking Nabatiyeh.

Violence Displaces Residents and Delays Diplomacy

The renewed fighting forced many civilians in southern Lebanon to flee their homes.

“The situation is lawless, we couldn’t stay,” said Mustafa Zain, who was travelling with his six daughters in a pickup truck.

The escalation has also complicated relations between Israel and the United States, with President Donald Trump reportedly becoming increasingly critical of Netanyahu amid growing domestic pressure on the Israeli Prime Minister.

Iranian officials cancelled their planned trip to Switzerland, saying the violence in Lebanon had to stop before negotiations could resume. US Vice President JD Vance also postponed his visit.

According to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, discussions through intermediaries were continuing and preparations were underway for another round of talks in the coming days.

Baghaei said the Switzerland meeting was not urgent because the interim agreement had already been signed digitally earlier this week.

Nuclear Negotiations Face Major Challenges

The delayed talks in Switzerland are intended to lay the groundwork for a permanent settlement and focus on Iran’s nuclear programme.

Tehran maintains that its nuclear activities are peaceful, although the International Atomic Energy Agency has said Iran possesses highly enriched uranium that could potentially be used to produce multiple nuclear weapons if it chose to do so.

Negotiators face a difficult path. The 2015 nuclear deal, which was later abandoned by President Trump during his first term, took more than 18 months to conclude.

The current interim agreement grants negotiators 60 days, with the possibility of an extension, to reach a final accord.

The deal also envisages the eventual lifting of international sanctions and the creation of a USD 300 billion post-war reconstruction fund. Following the agreement, the United States lifted restrictions on Iranian ports and allowed Tehran to resume oil exports, while Iranian assets are also set to be unfrozen.

However, with fighting continuing along the Lebanon border and significant disagreements over both Lebanon and Iran’s nuclear ambitions unresolved, major obstacles remain before a comprehensive settlement can be achieved.

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