Hezbollah says truce owed to Iran, warns of 'treacherous enemy'

As a fragile ceasefire takes effect in Lebanon, Hezbollah is crediting decisive Iranian pressure for the halt in hostilities while urging displaced citizens to remain cautious of a “treacherous” Israeli enemy that is already violating the newly minted agreement.

US President Donald Trump announced the 10-day ceasefire during a White House address. However, a Lebanese parliamentarian and member of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc emphasized that the implemented ceasefire was achieved as a result of "clear Iranian pressure."

Speaking to al-Manar network, MP Hussein al-Hajj Hassan noted that continuous communications between Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran played a role in reaching this agreement in Lebanon.

Hassan Fadlallah, a fellow member of the Lebanese parliament, corroborated this, stating that Iran’s ambassador in Beirut had informed Lebanese officials that a ceasefire would begin Thursday night, describing the agreement as the result of Iranian diplomatic efforts.

Fadlallah added that Iranian authorities will monitor US compliance with its commitments under the agreement, noting that the resumption of Iran-US negotiations is contingent upon the implementation of these commitments.

He stressed that Hezbollah’s adherence to the ceasefire depends on a complete halt to all hostile actions.

Iranian ultimatums

An informed Iranian military source speaking to Al Mayadeen network confirmed Tehran's leverage, stating that during the process of pursuing a halt to the war in Lebanon, and following the failure of diplomatic efforts, Iran had come close to resuming its military operations several times.

The source noted that Iran had initially halted its missile operations in exchange for promises regarding the timing of a ceasefire, while the enemy continued its aggression, customary to its habit of breaking pacts.

The military source added that Iran set a final and decisive deadline on Wednesday night to stop the aggression against Lebanon. Alongside the steadfastness and sacrifices of Hezbollah on the frontlines, the enemy's awareness of the seriousness and inevitability of the start of Iran's missile operations if attacks continued is what ultimately led to the ceasefire, the source explained.

Iran's pressure was heavily tied to recent ceasefire between Iran and the US. Washington had initially accepted Tehran’s 10-point plan that included a Lebanon ceasefire, before backtracking following lobbying from Israel.

According to multiple reports, Iran then threatened to boycott last week talks in Islamabad if attacks on Lebanon were not halted, prompting the US to press Israel on the matter.

Immediate violations

Despite the midnight announcement, the ceasefire faced immediate challenges on the ground. Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israeli bombardment of two southern towns continued despite the truce.

In an urgent news report published roughly 30 minutes after the ceasefire began, the NNA stated: "The bombardment of the towns of Khiam and Dibbine in the south continues by the enemy after the implementation of the ceasefire."

The report also noted that there was "intense drone activity by the enemy over Rashaya and the western slopes of Mount Hermon" in the southeast, though it did not provide details regarding material damage or casualties.

Anticipating such breaches, Hezbollah issued a statement urging extreme caution among its supporters.

"With the announcement of the ceasefire, and in the face of a treacherous enemy accustomed to violating pacts and agreements, we call upon you to exercise restraint and not head to the targeted areas in the South, the Bekaa, and the southern suburb of Beirut until the course of events becomes fully clear," the resistance group stated.

While expressing deep appreciation for the steadfastness of the displaced citizens, Hezbollah added, "God willing, you will return to your villages with your heads held high, honorable as you have always been."

MP al-Hajj Hassan echoed this caution, warning that the enemy is “treacherous” and has already violated the current ceasefire multiple times.

"We are investigating whether the enemy will adhere to the ceasefire and refrain from attacking villages and resuming assassinations," he said.

He outlined specific goals for the current phase, including Israeli withdrawal, the return of prisoners and displaced persons, reconstruction, and a halt to attacks. He stressed that the enemy ultimately failed to achieve its declared goals, as towns like Bint Jbeil and Khiam did not fall under its control.

The finalized ceasefire also came after Israel and the pro-Western government in Beirut agreed on Tuesday to begin direct talks following a meeting between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States. Following those direct talks, Israel’s ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter claimed that Beirut and Tel Aviv were "on the same side" against Hezbollah.

Israeli officials have pressed for the full disarmament of Hezbollah, a condition that Lebanon’s pro-Western political factions have appeared willing to entertain in exchange for Western financial and political support.

However, these talks have sparked anger among many Lebanese who view the terms as a capitulation to US and Israeli demands at the expense of Lebanon’s sovereignty. Critics have raised concerns that the deal may grant Israel freedom of action and oversight inside Lebanese territory—provisions that Lebanese officials have previously rejected.

The urgency for a ceasefire follows a period of devastating Israeli violence. On April 8, Israel launched its largest aggression on the Lebanese capital since 1983, killing over 300 people in a series of nationwide airstrikes focusing heavily on Beirut.

Since those massacres, the Israeli military halted attacks on the Lebanese capital due to Iranian pressure exerted ahead of the Islamabad talks.

Yet, it had continued brutal attacks on the south, where Hezbollah forces have been fiercely confronting an Israeli ground invasion, leading up to the implementation of the current truce.

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