Ceasefire Takes Effect Between Israel and Hezbollah

A ceasefire with the Hezbollah terror group approved Tuesday by Israel's Security Cabinet has now gone into effect after nearly 14 months of fighting.

The agreement became active at 4:00 a.m. Israel Time on Wednesday.

The Israeli government approved a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal with the Iranian-backed army of Hezbollah to put a stop to the group's relentless rocket barrages that have terrorized civilians across northern Israel for more than a year. 

Israel's YNet News reports that the agreement does not mention the dissolution of Hezbollah, a fact that leaves many Israelis skeptical about how long the ceasefire will last.

The government's approval of the halt in fighting came after Israeli warplanes struck terrorist targets across Lebanon on Tuesday, killing at least 24 people while also warning civilians to evacuate before its strikes.

Israel also achieved a primary goal of the war on Tuesday as its ground troops reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River to push Hezbollah's terrorist army away from its border. 

Even while announcing the ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remained steadfast in warning, “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack. For every violation, we will attack with might.”

Israel declared that the ceasefire would take effect beginning Wednesday. 

While the exact terms were not released, the deal does call for a two-month initial halt in fighting and requires Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon 

Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior leader said the group must still verify the final agreement.