In a significant development in West Asia, Israel has agreed to a ceasefire with Lebanon. The agreement comes into effect at midnight (Israel time) on November 27.

Israel's Security Cabinet, the country's top decision-making body under the government has reportedly agreed to the ceasefire, news agency Reuters reported.

Israel and Lebanon-based, Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah have been at war for several months now. Hezbollah had started attacking Israel with rockets and projectiles for over a year leading to a retaliation from Tel Aviv. Hezbollah has been backing Hamas, another Iran-backed militant group which it considers its ally.

Israel and Hamas have been at war since October 2023, when the terrorists breached the Israel-Gaza border and took Israeli hostages at a concert. Hamas is based in Gaza, which is where the war began after Israel retaliated to the terror attack. Since then, the war in West Asia, popularly called the Middle-East, has led to large-scale destruction and death of tens of thousands of people in the region.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly agreed to the temporary ceasefire and so has his security cabinet. A formal agreement from Lebanon is awaited too.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has however warned that if Hezbollah breaks the deal, Israel will not honour it either and will strike back with full force. The peace deal has been achieved with the intervention of the United States and France, and US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron are expected to make an official announcement shortly.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been working closely with top Israeli officials to negotiate a ceasefire which comes into effect at midnight tonight.