A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon took effect on Wednesday after more than a year of fighting that has killed thousands of people.

The truce, which began at 4:00 am (0200 GMT), should bring to a halt a war that has forced tens of thousands of people in Israel and hundreds of thousands more in Lebanon to flee their homes.

The Israeli army warned soon after the ceasefire began that residents of south Lebanon should not approach Israel Defense Forces positions and villages its forces had ordered to be evacuated.

"With the entry into force of the ceasefire agreement and based on its provisions, the IDF remains deployed in its positions inside southern Lebanon," army spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a post on X.

"You are prohibited from heading towards the villages that the IDF has ordered to be evacuated or towards IDF forces in the area."

The war has seen swathes of Lebanon pounded by air strikes, and Israeli troops deployed across the border to battle Hezbollah militants.

It began with Hezbollah launching cross-border strikes in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas following its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

US President Joe Biden announced the ceasefire agreement on Tuesday, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his ministers had agreed to a halt.

The United States is Israel's key ally and military backer, and Biden hailed the deal as "good news" and a........

© International Business Times