Despite a US-brokered ceasefire that began on April 17, intended to pause six weeks of full-scale war, Israel and Hezbollah remain locked in active combat in Lebanon. The agreement permits Israel to take all necessary self-defense measures at any time against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks, leaving a wide loophole for continued hostilities.
Notably, Hezbollah did not sign the ceasefire deal; it was the Lebanese government that agreed. However, Lebanon's armed forces lack the strength to control the Iran-backed militia, rendering the truce highly fragile. BBC correspondent Lucy Williamson reports from Jerusalem that the partial ceasefire now rests on precarious ground.
"All of which leaves this partial ceasefire in a very precarious place," Williamson notes.
The ongoing clashes underscore the deep distrust and unresolved tensions, as neither side appears ready to fully lay down arms.