The ceasefire is now official, but it arrives with the echo of the explosions still reverberating.
The ten-day truce between announced by the president of the United States, has come into effect this Thursday at 5:00 p.m. Washington (21:00 GMT), putting, at least on paper, a pause in six weeks of confrontations.
It does so, however, after a day in which violence intensified until the last minute.
Bombings until the last moment
Just a few minutes before the ceasefire began, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that they were still in Lebanese territory. In the last 24 hours, they claimed, they had hit more than 380 targets of the Shiite group.
A figure that reflects the intensity of the fighting even in the final stretch, when the truce had already been agreed. On the ground, the impact was immediate: at least three people died and 21 were injured in southern Lebanon, according to the country’s official agency.
Response from northern Israel
The activity was not unilateral. Hezbollah also launched several attacks against northern Israel in the hours before the ceasefire came into effect, activating alarms in several areas and causing direct impacts.
Israeli emergency services confirmed at least three injuries, two of them in serious condition. An exchange of blows that shows to what extent The truce has reached its limit.
A fragile pause in the middle of war
The agreement, announced by Trump After holding what he described as “excellent” conversations with the leaders of both countries, he contemplates a ten-day ceasefire with the aim of opening a window to peace.
But the context is extremely delicate.
The escalation between Israel and Lebanon threatened to break the fragile balance reached in the region after the two-week truce between United States and Iranwhich remains valid – for now – until April 22.
More than 2,000 deaths in six weeks
The figures reflect the magnitude of the conflict. In just six weeks, the Israeli attacks in Lebanon have left already more than 2,100 dead, including at least 172 children, and more than 7,000 injured.
A balance that explains the urgency of a ceasefire… but also the difficulty of sustaining it.
The big question. The truce has already begun. The guns, at least officially, should be silent. But after hours of attacks until the last second, the question is inevitable.
Whether this ceasefire comes too late… or just in time.
