Hours after Israel’s cease-fire agreement with Lebanon went into effect on Wednesday, the IDF shot at a vehicle believed to be violating the terms of the deal.

The IDF fired warning shots at a vehicle carrying several people entering Kfar Kileh, near the Lebanon-Israel border, where the Iran-backed terrorist group was barred from entering under the terms of the cease-fire. 

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Hezbollah terrorists entered the village and that he “instructed the IDF to act aggressively and uncompromisingly against such phenomena and arrest anyone identified with Hezbollah who enters the no-go areas.”

David Azoulay, mayor of Metula, an Israeli town abutting the Lebanon border, said he saw eight vehicles and a motorcycle belonging to Hezbollah, and lamented that there was “containment again; nothing changed since Oct. 7.” 

The IDF statement did not identify the suspects as Hezbollah members, but said that the military is prepared “to act against anyone who tries to break the cease-fire agreement and will not allow harm to the security of the residents of Israel.” 

Meanwhile, Lebanese media showed civilians returning to their homes in southern Lebanon, despite the IDF warning them not to do so until troops withdraw and they are given permission to return.

Israel’s Home Front Command did not change its instructions for residents of northern Israel after the cease-fire went into effect at 4 a.m. on Wednesday.

The agreement, brokered by the U.S. and France, reaffirms the principles of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War and said that Hezbollah must remain north of the Litani River, some 17 miles from the border with Israel. Under the terms of the agreement, the Lebanese Armed Forces and U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were to move into that area to keep Hezbollah out, though the terrorist group was active in that zone soon after the war ended.

Over the next 60 days, under the terms of the cease-fire the IDF will gradually move its forces south of the Blue Line, as the Israel-Lebanon border is known, allowing the LAF to move in.

The new cease-fire deal also states that all sales, manufacture and supply of weapons in Lebanon will be under the supervision of the Lebanese government. Any illegal weapons will be confiscated and illegal manufacturing sites and military bases will be dismantled.

The deal states that Israel and Lebanon will approve the makeup of a committee to monitor the cease-fire and its enforcement. The U.S. is expected to lead the monitoring mechanism, which will include the U.K., Germany and France. Israel and Lebanon will send reports to UNIFIL about any violations. 

A side deal between the U.S. and Israel states that Washington recognizes Jerusalem’s right to respond to any threats coming from Lebanese territory and that Israel can act at any time to stop violations south of the Litani River. Beyond that, Israel can only act if the LAF does not, and must notify the U.S. before taking such steps. 

The U.S. said it is committed to cooperating with Israel to stop destabilizing actions by Iran in Lebanon, including preventing weapons smuggling. Israel and the U.S. will share intelligence about Hezbollah violations of the cease-fire, while Washington may share information with Beirut. 

In addition, Israel may continue intelligence-gathering flights over Lebanon, but its forces cannot break the sound barrier, according to the side agreement.

The Biden administration is also expected to lift its block on deliveries of weapons and munitions to Israel.

The main cease-fire document also says the U.S. will work towards negotiating a recognized land border between Israel and Lebanon; 13-14 points along the border are in dispute.

Israel’s security cabinet approved the deal 10-1 on Tuesday night, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir opposed. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly argued to the cabinet that the Biden administration could force a cease-fire via the U.N. Security Council or choose not to veto UNSC resolutions against Israel if no agreement was reached. Washington did not directly threaten Jerusalem with action in the UNSC, according to Israeli diplomatic sources.

Sen. Ted Cruz, however, said in his statement about the cease-fire that “Obama-Biden officials pressured our Israeli allies into accepting the ceasefire by withholding weapons they needed to defend themselves and counter Hezbollah, and by threatening to facilitate a further, broader, binding international arms embargo through the United Nations.”

A senior Biden administration official said in a press briefing that “it’s not only that we didn’t threaten it, literally the topic never came up … It is completely news to me and none of us have ever heard of this before your question.” 

Netanyahu and President Joe Biden spoke on the phone soon after the cabinet vote, with the Israeli prime minister emphasizing “that Israel maintains freedom of action in enforcing” the cease-fire, according to the Prime Minister’s Office readout.

Netanyahu gave a nine-minute address to the Israeli public to defend and explain the cease-fire agreement that was unpopular among much of his political base and beyond, as well as among residents of northern Israel. 

The prime minister explained that there are three reasons he agreed to a cease-fire: The first is to focus on the Iranian threat.

The second reason was to give IDF reservists a break and to replenish weapons and munitions stocks. Netanyahu said there are “big delays” in deliveries, without giving more specific details, but said that they “will be resolved soon.” The remarks were a reference to the Biden administration holding up arms shipments to Israel.

The third reason was to divide Hezbollah and Hamas, further isolating the latter, which Netanyahu said “will increase our pressure … and that will help us in our sacred mission of releasing our hostages.”

Netanyahu said that “with the United States’ full understanding, we maintain full freedom of military action.” To those who argued that Israel will not be able to restart the war after a cease-fire, he referred to the pause in the war in Gaza for the release of hostages last year, after which fighting resumed.

Announcing the cease-fire in the White House Rose Garden, Biden said that the 60-day deal will “end the devastating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.”

“What is left of Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations will not be allowed — I emphasize — will not be allowed to threaten the security of Israel again,” Biden said. “If Hezbollah or anyone else breaks the deal and poses a direct threat to Israel, then Israel retains the right to self-defense.”

French President Emmanuel Macron, who also played a central role in negotiating the cease-fire, emphasized cooperation with UNIFIL and the LAF to maintain it, and the opportunity to “open a new page for Lebanon.” 

Netanyahu had vetoed France’s continued cooperation in the effort after Paris indicated that it would honor the International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes. 

However, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Wednesday that “certain leaders” may be immune from ICC prosecution under the Rome Statue – possibly a reference to Israel not being a party to the court and having its own independent judiciary – and that it is “up to the judicial authority to decide,” AFP reported.