Netanyahu’s office says his security Cabinet has approved ceasefire deal with Hezbollah

JERUSALEM (AP) —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his security Cabinet has approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah, clearing the way for the truce to take effect.

Also on Tuesday, Israeli warplanes struck across Lebanon, killing at least 24 people, and the Israeli military issued a flurry of evacuation warnings — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah down to the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold.

For the first time in the conflict, Israeli ground troops reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River, a focal point of the emerging deal.

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A ceasefire would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East, but neither he nor Netanyahu have proposed a postwar solution for the Palestinian territory, where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages.

Israel says it will ‘attack with might’ if Hezbollah breaks truce

In a televised statement, Netanyahu listed a series of accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. And he said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza. It would also allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran, which backs both groups.

“If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.”

Here is the AP’s complete story.