A ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel was announced this morning following intensive US-led mediation, yet within hours, new airstrikes hit southern Beirut, casting immediate doubt on the accord’s viability.
The agreement, brokered by American diplomats in Geneva, was intended to halt cross-border exchanges that have escalated since October 7. Both parties had signalled willingness to de-escalate, but the fragility of the truce became evident when Israeli jets struck what the military described as a Hezbollah weapons depot in the Dahiyeh district.
Lebanese security sources confirmed at least six explosions, with reports of casualties still being collated. Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV denounced the strikes as a “blatant violation”, though no immediate retaliation was reported.
The White House, in a carefully worded statement, urged restraint, calling on both sides to “honour the letter and spirit of the ceasefire”. A senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged “operational lags” in implementing the agreement but insisted the broader diplomatic track remained intact.
The truce had been hailed as a rare success for American soft power in a region where Washington’s influence has waned. Yet the Beirut strikes underscore the limits of mediation when ground realities remain volatile. Analysts note that neither Hezbollah nor Israel has fully committed to ending hostilities; rather, the ceasefire appears to be a tactical pause rather than a strategic shift.
For Lebanon, the economic cost of the conflict has been severe. The World Bank estimates damages exceeding $1.5 billion, with infrastructure in the south heavily degraded. The ceasefire, if it holds, would allow desperately needed humanitarian access, but the immediate events suggest a long road ahead.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has called for an immediate emergency meeting of the Security Council. Its spokesperson stressed that “the integrity of the ceasefire is non-negotiable”. However, with both sides accusing each other of violations, the agreement’s future remains uncertain.
International reaction has been cautiously optimistic. The European Union welcomed the ceasefire but expressed “grave concern” over the airstrikes. Russia, meanwhile, accused the US of failing to secure Israeli compliance, a charge Washington dismissed as “disinformation”.
As night falls on Beirut, the sound of drones persists overhead. For residents, the announcement of peace and the reality of war have become a single, disorienting experience. The ceasefire, though formally agreed, may prove to be more a reflection of desire than a durable achievement.
Sienna West, reporting from London.
