What we know about the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire
Adnan Abidi / ReutersUS President Donald Trump has announced that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, which took effect from 17:00 EST (21:00 GMT; midnight local time) on 16 April.
Trump has urged Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon which has been exchanging fire with Israel for the past six weeks, to abide by the ceasefire, saying he hoped it "acts nicely and well during this important period of time".
Iran said on Friday that "in line with the ceasefire in Lebanon" the Strait of Hormuz, the world's busiest oil shipping channel, had been "declared completely open".
Here is what we know about the truce.
What does the agreement say?
The terms of the deal specify that the ceasefire will last for 10 days, with the possibility of it being "extended by mutual agreement" if negotiations show signs of progress.
According to further details provided by the US State Department:
- Israel retains its "right to take all necessary measures in self-defence, at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks"
- Lebanon must take "meaningful steps" to prevent Hezbollah and all other "rogue non-state armed groups" from carrying out attacks against Israeli targets
- Those involved recognise that Lebanon's security forces have exclusive responsibility for Lebanon's security
- Israel and Lebanon requested that the US continues to facilitate further direct talks with the objective of "resolving all remaining issues"
The statement added that the truce was a "gesture of goodwill" by Israel intended to enable "good-faith negotiations towards a permanent security and peace agreement" between the two parties.
The US president has also invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to the White House for further talks.
What has the reaction been?
Israel and Lebanon's leaders have both welcomed the truce, with Netanyahu calling it an "opportunity to make a historic peace agreement".
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he hoped it would allow those who had been displaced by the recent conflict to return home, while President Aoun said: "This opportunity must not be squandered because it may not come again."
Hezbollah also signalled a willingness to participate in the ceasefire but said it must include "a comprehensive halt to attacks" across Lebanon and "no freedom of movement for Israeli forces".
When asked about disarmament, senior Hezbollah leader Wafiq Safa told the BBC: "Not until a proper ceasefire, a real one. Not until Israeli withdrawal."
The Iran-backed group, while deeply embedded in Lebanon, is not part of the Lebanese government's security apparatus.
On Tuesday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on X: "In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through [the] Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire."
UN Secretary General António Guterres commended the role of the US in facilitating the deal and urged all parties to "fully respect" and "comply with international law at all times".
European Commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen, called the deal a "relief", saying Europe would continue to "call for the full respect of Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity".
Meanwhile, the two-week ceasefire between Iran and the US is due to expire on 22 April.
Why is Israel remaining in southern Lebanon?
Despite the agreement, Netanyahu said Israeli troops would remain stationed 10km-deep (6.2 miles) into southern Lebanon.
UN figures show that across Lebanon, more than 1.2 million people have been displaced, the majority of these from the south.
Israel re-entered southern Lebanon after strikes by Hezbollah in early March, describing the area it is occupying as a "security zone".
"We are there, and we are not leaving," Netanyahu said this week.
Israel's defence minister previously said the occupied area would go up to the Litani River in southern Lebanon - about 30km from the border with Israel.
He also said all houses in Lebanese villages near the Israeli border would be demolished.
In the weeks since the war began, research by BBC Verify has found that more than 1,400 buildings have been destroyed by Israel in southern Lebanon.
Lebanon's defence minister said Katz's remarks reflected "a clear intention to impose a new occupation of Lebanese territory". European nations, Canada and the UN have also criticised Israel's announcement.
A previous ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah - ending 13 months of conflict - still saw near-daily cross-border strikes.
How was the ceasefire negotiated?
Israel and Lebanon held rare direct talks in Washington earlier this week aimed at easing the war, which has seen deadly air strikes on part of the Lebanese capital of Beirut and fighting in the country's south.
Trump's ceasefire announcement said the deal came about after "excellent conversations" with Aoun and Netanyahu, but did not mention whether Hezbollah was directly involved in the talks.
Netanyahu, while welcoming the truce, also made clear that he was making few concessions on the ground.
He said Hezbollah had insisted on two conditions - the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, and a principle of "quiet for quiet".
However, it appears the ceasefire announcement has taken senior figures in Israel by surprise - reportedly even within the government's own security cabinet.
A widely respected Israeli news outlet described Netanyahu convening a security cabinet meeting with just five minutes notice, shortly before the ceasefire announcement was made.
Leaks from that meeting say ministers were not given a vote on the ceasefire.
What does this have to do with the war in Iran?
Israel launched strikes on Lebanon on 2 March in response to those by Hezbollah. This was after the US and Israel attacked Iran – prompting retaliation from Tehran against US allies in the Gulf, and from Iran's proxies, including Hezbollah.
Iran's response included effectively blocking the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) usually passes. This sent global fuel prices soaring.
When a ceasefire with Iran was announced earlier this month, it was unclear whether Lebanon was involved. Pakistani officials, who helped negotiate the deal, and Iranian officials said it was, but Israel and the US said it was not.
While Iran on Friday announced the re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said a US blockade of maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports would continue "until such a time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete".
More than 2,100 people have been killed and 7,000 others wounded in Israel's attacks on Lebanon since 2 March, according to the Lebanese health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. The number includes at least 260 women and 172 children.
Hezbollah attacks have killed two civilians in Israel over the same period, while 13 Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat in Lebanon, Israeli authorities say.
On Thursday, the Israeli military destroyed the last bridge linking the south to the rest of the country, further isolating the region and renewing fears among many Lebanese that this could lead to a long-term occupation of some areas.
