Netanyahu unveils Lebanon ceasefire deal after year of conflict

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans for a ceasefire with Hizbollah, raising hopes of an end to the year-long hostilities between Israeli forces and the Lebanese militant group.

In a pre-recorded television address on Tuesday, Netanyahu said he would take the proposed deal to Israel’s cabinet. It must also be approved by Lebanon’s caretaker government, which is due to discuss it on Wednesday.

“Lebanon is not the same,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel had “killed all the leaders” of Hizbollah.

The Israeli prime minister said he had reached “full understandings” with the US that Israel will maintain “full military freedom of action” in the event that Hizbollah violates the agreement.

“If they build infrastructure next to the border, we will attack them,” he added.

Israel’s decision came hours after a late offensive in which the country’s military stepped up its bombardment of Lebanon, hitting what it said were more than 20 Hizbollah targets in Beirut and issuing evacuation orders for parts of the centre of the Lebanese capital.

Diplomats hope the deal will pave the way for an end to one of the bloodiest rounds of fighting in decades of conflict between Israel and Hizbollah.

This is a developing story