Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group have agreed to halt the heavy fighting in southern Lebanon, according to regional officials and a U.S. official. The truce was mediated by Qatar, the U.S., and Iran.

Fighting Had Threatened to Unravel Interim Agreement

The fighting had threatened to unravel an interim agreement between the United States and Iran to end their war. The agreement calls for a halt to military operations in Lebanon and for its sovereignty to be respected.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to keep Israeli forces in southern Lebanon until the threat is eliminated. Hezbollah has refused to halt its attacks unless Israel commits to withdrawing from Lebanon, which Iran says is also a condition of the deal.

Impact on Local Families

The fighting has forced many families to flee their villages. “The situation is lawless, we couldn’t stay,” said Mustafa Zain, who was with his six daughters in a pickup truck.

The discussions in Switzerland were expected to focus on Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran maintains it is peaceful, though it has highly enriched uranium that could be used to build multiple atomic bombs, should it choose to do so, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.