Lead:

A ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, announced in Washington, is under immediate strain as Hezbollah publicly rejected its terms, Israeli forces continued military operations in southern Lebanon, and competing international actors moved quickly to shape the deal's implementation. The agreement, which reportedly conditions the halt of hostilities on Hezbollah's withdrawal south of the Litani River, has exposed deep fault lines among Lebanese political actors, Israeli officials, and regional powers.

Details:

Hezbollah's Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem declared the Washington-brokered framework "rejected in its entirety," stating the group had made no commitment to halt its response to Israeli aggression and would not surrender its weapons. According to Al-Akhbar, Qassem described the direct negotiations as "futile and humiliating to Lebanon," while warning that Israeli settlements would not be secure. Iran's Quds Force commander General Ismail Qaani echoed this position, stating that supporting the Lebanese resistance was "an obligation" and that Israeli withdrawal from the region remained a minimum demand.

On the Israeli side, the picture was equally fractured. Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that the agreement includes the establishment of a demilitarised zone, and that Israeli forces would remain positioned in southern Lebanon up to what he termed the "yellow line." Channel 13, cited by Lebanese news outlets, reported that the Israeli Cabinet convened an emergency session Thursday evening to deliberate on the deal. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir publicly condemned the ceasefire as "a grave mistake," as reported across multiple Lebanese outlets including An-Nahar and Al-Joumhouria.

Meanwhile, military hostilities showed no sign of abating. Al-Joumhouria reported continued Israeli airstrikes on southern villages, while Hezbollah's Islamic Resistance announced rocket and drone strikes against Israeli troop concentrations near the historic Beaufort Castle and in the town of Qantara. Al-Joumhouria separately confirmed that Israeli forces from the Golani Brigade have established operational control over the Beaufort heights. A vehicle was also struck on the Kafrouh-Zafta road in the south, with reported casualties.

On the diplomatic front, French Presidential Envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian arrived in Beirut and held talks with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and President Joseph Aoun regarding the Washington negotiations. According to Al-Joumhouria, President Aoun urged that Lebanon not provide Israel with pretexts to delay its withdrawal. President Macron publicly endorsed the ceasefire and pledged French readiness to support its implementation, as reported by An-Nahar and Ad-Diyar. The European Union separately approved a 100-million-euro military support package for the Lebanese Armed Forces.

Watch For:

Whether the Lebanese government can assert authority over southern territory in the absence of Hezbollah compliance, which would determine whether the ceasefire holds beyond its initial hours.

How Israel defines and enforces the boundaries of its declared security zone, particularly given Defence Minister Katz's statement that troops will remain deployed along the "yellow line."

The role of the Lebanese Army going forward, with Mufti Ahmed Qablan warning against drawing the military into what he called a "Zionist game," signalling potential internal resistance to deployment terms.