The apparent truce emerged after a heavy exchange of fire killed at least four Israeli soldiers.
Word of the attempt to halt the fighting came from two regional officials and a U.S. official. It was mediated by Qatar, the U.S. and Iran, the regional officials said. The three officials were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
A Hezbollah official said an agreement to stop fighting could be announced soon, but he stopped short of confirming it was in place. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly on the matter.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office did not immediately comment. However, late Friday afternoon Netanyahu posted on X that, on his orders, the army had “struck powerfully” 150 Hezbollah targets, killing dozens of terrorists.
Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the military has not received different instructions from the government. He said Israeli forces were operating in a “forward defense zone” and will continue doing so.
Hours after officials told journalists about the truce, Israeli artillery fire could still be heard from northern Israel along the Lebanese border, and a large explosion was seen erupting inside Lebanon, according to an AP photographer in northern Israel.
The Israeli military said four soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel, were killed in an attack on a tank in a village near the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh. An explosive drone attack wounded another five, it added.
Israel then launched multiple strikes against “Hezbollah infrastructure sites” in Nabatiyeh and other areas, according to a military statement, which accused the terrorist group of “blatant ceasefire violations.”
Later, the military said it also struck targets in the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon, with Lebanese media saying the village of Douris was hit.
“Israel will not tolerate attacks on our soldiers or on our territory, and it will exact a very heavy price from Hezbollah for these attacks,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
