Lebanon’s Southern Region Sees a Halt in Hostilities as Both Sides Agree to Terms of Peace Deal

A ceasefire has been implemented between Israel and Hezbollah, bringing an end to over a year of conflict that has devastated Lebanon and led to significant casualties on both sides. The agreement, which went into effect in late November 2024, marks the conclusion of 13 months of hostilities, beginning in October 2023 when Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on Israel in support of Hamas in Gaza. Israel retaliated with air strikes on Lebanese territory.

The conflict intensified in September 2024 when Israel escalated its military operations, launching both an air campaign and a ground invasion into southern Lebanon. Lebanese authorities report that more than 3,800 people have been killed since the fighting began, with around one million people displaced from their homes. On the Israeli side, at least 82 soldiers and 47 civilians have died, and 60,000 people have been displaced.

What does the ceasefire entail?
The terms of the ceasefire require Hezbollah to remove its armed presence from the area between the Blue Line (the unofficial border between Israel and Lebanon) and the Litani River, located approximately 30 kilometres to the north. Over the next 60 days, Israel will begin withdrawing its forces from the region, while Lebanese military troops will take up positions in the vacated areas.

The Lebanese army will also ensure that Hezbollah’s infrastructure, including weapons, is dismantled and cannot be rebuilt. Under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the region south of the Litani River should remain free of armed personnel other than Lebanese state forces and the United Nations peacekeeping mission (UNIFIL). Both sides have accused each other of violating this resolution in the past.

To monitor compliance, the US and France will join the existing tripartite mechanism, which includes representatives from Lebanon, Israel, and UNIFIL. The agreement, however, acknowledges the right of both Israel and Lebanon to defend themselves in accordance with international law, allowing Israel the freedom to take military action if Hezbollah violates the terms of the ceasefire.

Israeli Ground and Air Operations
Israel’s ground operations in southern Lebanon began on 30 September 2024, with troops and tanks crossing into Lebanese territory in multiple locations. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described these operations as “limited, localised, and targeted” aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s “terrorist infrastructure.” According to experts, Israeli ground troops operated primarily within a few kilometres of the border.

As part of its strategy, the IDF warned civilians in dozens of southern Lebanese towns to flee north of the Awali River, approximately 50 km from the border. They also instructed civilians not to travel south of the Litani River.