10-day Israel-Lebanon ceasefire begins as Beirut celebrates

A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect at midnight on Thursday, prompting Lebanese civilians displaced by the conflict to begin returning to their homes despite ongoing uncertainty about the terms of the truce. Celebratory gunfire rang out across Beirut as residents marked the announcement, while displaced families started making their way back toward southern Lebanon and the city's southern suburbs, though officials had warned against premature returns. Lebanese civilians ignored Israeli military warnings and forced their way past IDF barriers on the Al-Qasmiya Bridge over the Litani River on Thursday, according to local media reports and social media videos. The bridge, which was not destroyed by Israeli forces, became a key passage for residents attempting to return to areas south of the river they had fled at the start of the conflict. The Lebanese army reported early Friday that Israel committed ceasefire violations, including intermittent shelling of several southern villages. The Israeli military has not yet commented on those claims. Hezbollah launched its final attack at 11:50pm local time, just 10 minutes before the truce began, according to a statement by the group detailing its military operations. Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah began on March 2 when the Iran-aligned group joined the conflict in support of Tehran, prompting an Israeli offensive 15 months after the neighbors' last major conflict. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel agreed to the ceasefire to advance peace efforts but that troops would not withdraw from a "security zone" inside Lebanese territory. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the agreement as "a central Lebanese demand," and President Donald Trump invited both leaders to the White House for what he called "the first meaningful talks" between the countries since 1983.