The Israeli military said on Friday (June 19) that its troops in Lebanon have the freedom to act against threats and will continue operating under instructions from Israel's political leadership.

"There are restrictions. We operate within those restrictions in accordance with the directives of the political leadership. Again, when it comes to removing threats, we are authorized to operate in any area and will continue to act to eliminate any threat that is identified against our forces or our residents,” Chief Military Spokesman Effie Defrin said in an online news conference.

Shortly before the Israeli military's news conference, a U.S. official said Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire beginning at 4 p.m. (1300 GMT) on Friday, after an escalation in hostilities in Lebanon sorely tested the U.S.-Iranian interim deal to end the wider Middle East conflict.

A senior Israeli official and two Hezbollah sources confirmed the ceasefire to Reuters.

But nearly an hour after the truce was meant to take effect, a Reuters journalist in northern Israel said Israeli strikes could still be seen taking place across the border in Lebanon. A plume of smoke rose from behind a Lebanese village near the frontier.

Israeli airstrikes had killed at least 47 people in Lebanon since midnight, the Lebanese health ministry reported. Israel reported four of its soldiers killed in south Lebanon in one of the deadliest Hezbollah attacks of the war.

The Iran deal requires the United States, Iran, and their allies to declare an immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon. Violence has picked up over the course of the week after initially abating when the agreement was first announced.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

ISRAELI ARMY SPOKESPERSON, BRIGADIER GENERAL EFFIE DEFRIN, DELIVERING A STATEMENT TO THE MEDIA

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: UNKNOWN LOCATION (JUNE 19, 2026) (ISRAELI MILITARY - Access all)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) ISRAELI ARMY SPOKESPERSON, BRIGADIER GENERAL EFFIE DEFRIN, SAYING:

"The forces on the ground have full operational freedom to remove threats in any area.”

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) ISRAELI ARMY SPOKESPERSON, BRIGADIER GENERAL EFFIE DEFRIN, SAYING:

"Beyond the 'Yellow Line' or beyond the forward security zone, we operate to remove threats in accordance with the agreements. We respect the agreements and will continue to act to remove threats, any threat. Regarding Beirut and other locations in Lebanon, once again, we are acting according to our directives. Unless instructed otherwise, we will continue to operate under the current guidelines.”

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) ISRAELI ARMY SPOKESPERSON, BRIGADIER GENERAL EFFIE DEFRIN, SAYING:

"There are restrictions. We operate within those restrictions in accordance with the directives of the political leadership. Again, when it comes to removing threats, we are authorized to operate in any area and will continue to act to eliminate any threat that is identified against our forces or our residents.”

6. WHITE FLASH

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) ISRAELI ARMY SPOKESPERSON, BRIGADIER GENERAL EFFIE DEFRIN, SAYING:

"We are maintaining a forward defensive presence as long as there is a threat to the residents of northern Israel. As long as Hezbollah remains a threat, we will remain forward-positioned."