Israeli cabinet approves ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon

Israel's security cabinet has approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon, a local Israeli Channel 12 reported.

The accord was expected to take effect on Wednesday, the report said on Tuesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the other hand, said he was ready to implement a ceasefire deal with Lebanon and would "respond forcefully to any violation" by Hezbollah.

In a television address, Netanyahu said he would put the ceasefire accord to his full cabinet later in the evening after the more restricted security cabinet had approved the deal.

"We will enforce the agreement and respond forcefully to any violation. Together, we will continue until victory," he said.

He added that there were three reasons to pursue a ceasefire - to focus on Iran, replenish depleted arms supplies and give the army a rest, and finally to isolate the resistance group Hamas.

'Israeli enemy has no regard'

Meanwhile, Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati demanded in a statement on Tuesday that the international community "act swiftly" to halt Israeli aggression "and implement an immediate ceasefire".

Mikati said the intense wave of Israeli air strikes on Beirut on Tuesday "reaffirms that the Israeli enemy has no regard for any law or consideration".

"The international community is called upon to act swiftly to stop this aggression and implement an immediate ceasefire," he said in his statement, which was issued before an Israeli strike hit the central Hamra commercial district.