Laila Bassam, Pesha Magid and Steve HollandJun 20, 2026 – 1.28amIsrael and Iran-backed Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire beginning on Friday afternoon (Saturday AEST), a US official said, after an escalation in hostilities in Lebanon sorely tested the US-Iranian interim deal to end the wider Middle East conflict.A senior Israeli official and two Hezbollah sources confirmed the ceasefire to Reuters.ReutersSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles