Clear skies over southern Lebanon are bolstering hopes a ceasefire brokered between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah will hold, pausing a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives over the past 14 months.
In the hours after the ceasefire came into effect, the skies over southern Lebanon were free of missiles and fighter jets.
The ceasefire came into effect at 4am local time on Wednesday.
So far, there has been no signs of violations from either side.
In the hours leading up to the ceasefire, hostilities raged as Israel ramped up its campaign of air strikes in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon, with health authorities reporting at least 18 killed.
The Israeli military said it struck "components of Hezbollah’s financial management and systems" including a money-exchange office.
Hezbollah also kept up rocket fire into Israel.
Israel's air force intercepted three launches from Lebanese territory, the military said, in an extensive missile barrage on Tuesday night that led to warning alarms in about 115 settlements.
Cars start heading south
Streams of cars began heading to southern Lebanon, which borders Israel, after the ceasefire early on Wednesday, according to Reuters witnesses.
Displaced Lebanese are making their way back to their homes in the south from Beirut, Reuters reported.
Road barriers are being removed in Dahieh, in Beirut's south, to allow people to move around, Al Jazeera is reporting.
It added celebratory gunshots were ringing as people celebrate the ceasefire.
People are also driving south from Lebanon's southern coastal city Sidon, Reuters has reported.
What is the ceasefire agreement?
The text and full terms of the deal have not been publicly released.
What is known, is there will now be a 60-day transition as Israeli troops and Hezbollah soldiers both leave the area north of the Israeli border and south of the Litani River.
Here is what we know about the ceasefire, and what will happen next:
- The ceasefire should be fully implemented over the next 60 days.
- During that time, the Lebanese army will deploy 5,000 soldiers to southern Lebanon.
- Hezbollah will end its armed presence south of the Litani River.
- None of Hezbollah's existing infrastructure will be rebuilt.
- The Israeli military will gradually withdraw its remaining soldiers from southern Lebanon within the 60 days.
- US troops will not be deployed to southern Lebanon to enforce the ceasefire.
- Tens of thousands of civilians will be able to safely return to their homes in southern Lebanon and northern Israel.
US President Joe Biden said both sides accepted an agreement brokered by the United States and France.
He announced the ceasefire in Washington, saying it was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.
Mr Biden spoke at the White House on Tuesday shortly after Israel's security cabinet approved the agreement in a 10-1 vote.
He said he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
"What is left of Hezbollah and other terrorist organisations will not be allowed to threaten the security of Israel again.”
Netanyahu warns of forceful response
The Israeli PM said that even in the ceasefire, his nation would "retain complete military freedom of action".
"Should Hezbollah violate the agreement or attempt to rearm, we will strike decisively," he said.
Hezbollah, which is allied to Hamas, was considerably weaker than it had been at the start of the conflict, he added.
"We have set it back decades, eliminated ... its top leaders, destroyed most of its rockets and missiles, neutralised thousands of fighters, and obliterated years of terror infrastructure near our border," he said.
Hezbollah has not formally commented on the ceasefire but senior official Hassan Fadlallah told Lebanon's Al Jadeed TV that while it supported the extension of the Lebanese state’s authority, the group would emerge from the war stronger.
Iran, which backs Hezbollah and the Palestinian group Hamas, welcomes the ceasefire in Lebanon, the country's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a statement on Wednesday.
A senior US official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said the US and France would join a mechanism with the UNIFIL peacekeeping force that would work with Lebanon's army to deter potential violations of the ceasefire.
Jon Finer, deputy national security adviser in the Biden administration, told CNN that Washington would be watching for any violations of the deal.
"Implementation of this agreement will be key and we will be very vigilant to any attempts to disrupt what the two parties have committed to as part of this process today," he said.
The US has also confirmed its combat forces would not be deployed.
Biden says 'US will work to reach ceasefire in Gaza'
President Joe Biden has announced the United States would work with other nations in coming days to negotiate a ceasefire deal between Israel and terrorist group Hamas in Gaza.
"Hamas has refused for months and months to negotiate a good-faith ceasefire and a hostage deal," the president said.
"Now Hamas has a choice to make."
Mr Biden added that the only way out for Hamas was to release the hostages, including American citizens, which they hold, and in the process bring an end to the fighting.
"The United States will make another push with Türkiye, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, the hostages released and the end of the war without Hamas in power," he said.
Wires
