Israel has committed several violations of a ceasefire in Lebanon that took effect at midnight, the Lebanese army has said hours after Donald Trump hailed the “historic” truce.
Several villages in southern Lebanon were struck by intermittent shelling, the army added, calling on citizens to hold off on returning to southern villages and towns. The Israeli military did not immediately respond.
The 10-day ceasefire had come into affect just hours earlier, following weeks of conflict including intense Israeli bombardment and ground invasion in the south, and attacks on northern Israel by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
It comes amid hopes that the truce could boost attempts to extend the ceasefire between Iran, the US and Israel after weeks of war.
In an Truth Social post, Trump said: "I hope Hezbollah acts nicely and well during this important period of time. It will be an GREAT moment for them if they do. No more killing. Must finally have PEACE!"
But Hezbollah said that any truce must apply "across all Lebanese territory and must not allow the Israeli enemy any freedom of movement", while Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it does not include withdrawing Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.
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Analysis | Will Lebanon’s ceasefire really hold?
Our chief international correspondent, Bel Trew, takes a closer look at the ceasefire in Lebanon – and whether it can really last.
The ceasefire is set to hold for 10 days, enough time to bring the temperature down to allow talks for the regionally devastating conflict between the US, Israel and Iran.
But will it?
The same fundamental, almost existential, differences continue.
It was brokered not between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, that Israel is fighting and wants disarmed and destroyed, but with the Lebanese government.
The comparatively new Lebanese technocratic government does contain Hezbollah political figures.
But it has even less power than before this round of fighting to completely disarm what is thought to be the most powerful and heavily armed non-state actor in the region, if not the world.
Despite the ceasefire, Netanyahu has also maintained that Israeli troops will continue to occupy what he calls a “buffer zone” 10km into Lebanese sovereign territory.
He claims that this is needed for the safety of Israeli communities in the north, bordering Lebanon, to be able to live there.
But this means hundreds of thousands of Lebanese civilians will not be able to go home. The fear is this is actually a permanent plan to expand Israel’s borders and they never will be able to regain – again a sticking point that will have to be battled out at the negotiating table.
As part of the deal, according to details shared by the State Department, Israel retains its "right to take all necessary measures in self-defence, at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks".
That sounds suspiciously like a get out clause to upend the ceasefire at will.
Read Bel’s full analysis here.
Displaced Lebanese people slowly begin to return home
People uprooted by the war in Lebanon have started to return home on Friday, some defying advice by the Lebanese military who warned citizens to "exercise caution” when returning to southern villages as they accused Israel of ceasefire violations.
Displaced people were seen checking whether their houses were still standing, according to a report in Reuters. But some did not plan to stay for fear a 10-day ceasefire in the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel could prove fragile.
Piles of rubble were seen in areas where buildings once stood in the southern suburbs of Beirut, controlled by Hezbollah, an area that has been pummelled by Israel during more than six weeks of conflict that spiralled out of the war between the United States and Iran.
In Qasmiyeh in south Lebanon, cars were driving across a makeshift crossing over the Litani River, hastily erected after the ceasefire came into effect at midnight local time (2100 GMT). Israel destroyed all the bridges over the Litani during the war, blowing up the one at Qasmiyeh on Thursday.
"I inspected my home and praise God the building is still standing," said Ali Hamza, who had just visited his house in the southern suburbs known as Dahiyeh.
But he said "people are scared to come and live, and it is impossible to live in these circumstances, and with these smells. A full return is difficult now, despite the hardship of displacement".
UK police charge three people for arson attack on Persian media organisation
Three people have been charged by UK police following an attempted arson attack at the offices of a Persian media organisation in north-west London, the Metropolitan Police said.
Oisin McGuinness, 21, Nathan Dunn, 19, and a 16-year-old boy have been charged with arson with intent to endanger life.
Officers on patrol were told at about 8.30pm on Wednesday that an “ignited container” had been thrown towards the site in Wembley, landing in a car park where the fire immediately went out.
It is understood the offices of Volant Media, the parent company of Persian news channel Iran International, were targeted.
There were no injuries and no damage was reported.
The three people charged are British nationals and will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court later on Friday, Scotland Yard said.
UK in ‘worst-case scenario’ planning for food shortages as a result of Iran war
The UK could see shortages of key supermarket goods this summer if the Iran war continues, a leaked government document has revealed.
Officials have put together contingency plans for a “reasonable worst-case scenario”, highlighting that the closure of the crucial Strait of Hormuz shipping route could lead to carbon dioxide shortages.
The secret analysis – first reported by The Times – was codenamed “Exercise Turnstone” and was run by the government’s emergency committee, Cobra.
Our political correspondent Millie Cooke and business and money editor Karl Matchett report:
UK in ‘worst-case scenario’ planning for food shortages as a result of Iran war
The business secretary said the public should be ‘reassured’ that ministers are making contingency plans for the impact of the Iran warAlex Croft
Watch: Trump says Israel-Lebanon deal possible as Hezbollah ceasefire takes shape
European countries have capacity to clear mines in Hormuz, French Defence Minister says
European countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands and France have mine clearance capacity which could help secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz, French defence minister Catherine Vautrin told French TV station TF1 on Friday.
“There are capabilities to provide fully supported escort services – that is to say, in no way offensive, of course – for ships to ensure safe passage through the strait; that is what will be debated today in Paris,” she added.
France and Britain are set to chair on Friday a meeting of around 40 countries aimed at signalling to the United States that some of its closest allies are ready to play a role in restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait typically carries about 20 per cent of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas flows, once conditions allow.
Lebanese army says Israel has committed 'a number of violations' of ceasefire hours after it began
The Lebanese military has recorded "several Israeli attacks" and "intermittent shelling targeting a number of villages" in southern Lebanon, just hours after a 10-day ceasefire between the two countries came into effect.
In a statement, the army called on citizens to "exercise caution in returning to the southern villages and towns, amid a number of violations of the agreement." It had earlier warned people to avoid returning to areas of southern Lebanon despite the new truce.
Pakistan says progress made in mediation between US and Iran
A Pakistani source involved in mediating between the US and Iran just told Reuters there had been progress in backdoor diplomacy, and that an upcoming meeting between the two sides could result in the signing of an agreement.
The two sides would first sign a memorandum of understanding followed by a comprehensive agreement within 60 days, the agency reports.
"Detailed agreement comes later. Both sides are agreeing in principle. And technical bits come later," the source said.
Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir had been holding talks in Tehran since Wednesday and had made progress on "sticky issues," the source said.
Trump says Iran has agreed to hand over enriched uranium as deal talks resume
US president Donald Trump says Iran has agreed to hand over its enriched uranium and that fresh talks could resume as early as this weekend.
Speaking at an event in Las Vegas, Trump said the two sides were "very close" to a deal and claimed the war was going "swimmingly" and should be ending soon.
He said Iran had agreed not to obtain a nuclear weapon and would turn over what he called the "nuclear dust" – enriched uranium believed to be buried underground following US-Israeli airstrikes. Iran has not commented on the claims.
“They've agreed to give us back the nuclear dust,” Trump told reporters. “There’s a very good chance we’re going to make a deal.”
“They’ve agreed to almost everything,” Trump said. “They got to get to the table with a pen.”
He added that the deal would also include “free oil” and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump also said he was not sure an extension to the ceasefire with Iran, due to expire in five days, was necessary.
