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Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire set to take effect at 4:00 p.m. local time (1:00 p.m. GMT) Friday, a senior U.S. official told Reuters, following a deadly overnight exchange of fire in southern Lebanon.
"Hezbollah and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire," the official said.
"We understand that after the exchange of fire earlier today, Israel and Hezbollah are now in a ceasefire," the official added.
The official said negotiators from the United States and Qatar worked out the truce with assistance from Iran.
The ceasefire was negotiated by U.S. and Qatari mediators with assistance from Iran, according to the senior U.S. official.
A Gulf diplomat separately confirmed the agreement to Agence France-Presse (AFP). "Hezbollah and Israel have agreed to halt hostilities in a deal mediated by Qatar, the U.S., and Iran," the diplomat said, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
Hezbollah confirmed it began observing the truce as soon as it received word.
"As soon as we got word of the ceasefire, we applied it from our end," a Hezbollah source told Reuters.
Israel's military did not immediately confirm the ceasefire.
Israeli army spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said at a press briefing that the military would remain in southern Lebanon and continue its mission to protect civilians in northern Israel "until ordered otherwise."
"Our objective and mission are very clear. Anything concerning any agreements is a matter for the government," Defrin said, adding, "as long as we haven't received different orders, we'll act in accordance with the army's chief of staff's orders."
The Israeli army said on social media that it had launched more than 150 strikes in Lebanon since midnight.
A separate Israeli army spokesman declined to acknowledge the ceasefire at a Friday afternoon briefing, saying, "We continue to act according to the political directives in place. Unless those directives change, we will continue operating accordingly."
The ceasefire announcement followed a series of Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon since early Friday that killed at least 47 people and wounded 97 others in Lebanon, according to the latest updated toll from the Lebanese health ministry.
Four Israeli soldiers were killed in a separate Hezbollah attack in southern Lebanon.
According to official figures, Israel's military offensive in Lebanon since March 2 has killed 3,912 people, injured 11,873 others and displaced more than one million residents.
Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, with its forces having advanced more than 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory during the latest campaign.
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