Israel and Hezbollah consented to revive their shaky truce in Lebanon on Friday following a day of heavy fighting that presented an initial test to the fresh accord between the US and Iran aimed at concluding their hostilities.

A planned session set for Friday between Washington and Tehran in Switzerland to review execution of the new pact was abruptly halted after Hezbollah forces killed four Israeli soldiers and Israel launched multiple retaliatory airstrikes across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa valley that claimed at least 47 lives.

The discussions were meant to open in the Swiss village of Obbürgen two days after the signing of a memorandum of understanding that launched a 60-day period to pursue a lasting framework on Iran nuclear activities while restoring oil shipments through the strait of Hormuz.

The memorandum required an end to fighting on every front including Lebanon. Iran chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf cautioned on Friday against any violation of the pact and threatened a firm reply to the adversary.

The sudden cancellation of the Friday talks between Iran and the US left staff of US vice-president and lead negotiator JD Vance along with a group of journalists assembled at Joint Base Andrews near Washington ready for departure. Numerous White House personnel advance teams and media members had already reached Switzerland to arrange Vance arrival.

Late on Friday it seemed Donald Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff could open the discussions instead. Reports indicated the envoy was already present in Switzerland together with the president son-in-law Jared Kushner. Additional reports suggested Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi might travel to Switzerland on Saturday though plans remained fluid.

On Saturday morning at least five individuals died in an Israeli airstrike on the southern Lebanese town of Arabsalim according to Lebanon state news agency NNA.

NNA reported that Israeli aircraft and drones conducted multiple strikes throughout the Nabatieh region overnight and into the morning destroying homes and residential structures while Israeli artillery targeted Nabatieh and nearby areas before dawn.

The renewed violence and diplomatic uncertainty surrounding the planned talks heightened doubts about whether a final resolution could be reached in a regional conflict that has claimed at least 7000 lives driven up energy costs and risked worldwide economic disruption.

Donald Trump again supported the agreement despite criticism in Washington including from some Republican allies in Congress who questioned whether too many concessions were made to halt a war opposed by most Americans ahead of November midterm elections.

The war has weakened Iran he posted on social media on Friday. We did not negotiate from weakness Iran did. They are finished. We will complete the 60 days. They receive no funds not even a single cent.

Lebanon has become a critical flashpoint that could derail Trump efforts to withdraw the US from the conflict and has frustrated the president who has criticized Israel and its prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The most recent clashes between Israel and Hezbollah which maintains close links to Tehran marked the heaviest fighting since the truce began. Hezbollah struck Israeli positions near Nabatieh in southern Lebanon with multiple rocket and drone attacks overnight following sporadic Israeli shelling on Thursday.

Israel answered with extensive airstrikes on the city and nearby towns against what it described as Hezbollah positions resulting in at least 18 deaths and 33 injuries according to Lebanon ministry of health.

By evening the fighting appeared to have subsided. If Hezbollah refrains from attacking us then for us it is not wartime an Israeli official stated late on Friday. Two Hezbollah sources verified a renewed ceasefire to Reuters.

Many Israeli analysts believe Iran will gain strength from the agreement reached by Trump earlier this week and the deaths of Israeli soldiers at Hezbollah hands sparked widespread anger.

Netanyahu who pledged the joint US-Israeli campaign against Iran would bring regime change in Tehran has encountered strong domestic criticism this week. His office released a statement declaring Israel would not accept assaults on its soldiers or territory and would impose a severe cost on Hezbollah for the attacks.

Israel will stay in the security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as required to safeguard northern communities the statement continued.

Netanyahu confronts elections within months and faces pressure from political opponents. Israel far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for all of Lebanon to burn. With full respect for the Americans Israel must demonstrate to the world that the blood of our sons and the safety of our citizens are not negotiable he stated.

Iran supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei indicated on Thursday that he had endorsed the memorandum despite concerns while the US formally ended its blockade of Iranian ports.

Before the talks were halted Iran semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Iranian negotiators required visible signs of US compliance with the interim agreement before further peace discussions could proceed and that no confirmation existed regarding travel of the Tehran delegation to Geneva.

Israel which was excluded from the peace talks and has kept distance from the US-Iran agreement has accused Hezbollah of breaking the ceasefire an allegation the group has reciprocated.

Hostilities in Lebanon began on 2 March when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel claiming the action as retaliation for the killing of Iran supreme leader by the US and Israel during the initial phase of the latest war. The following Israeli incursion into southern Lebanon and bombing campaign have resulted in more than 3900 deaths. Hezbollah has killed at least 32 Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and three Israeli civilians.

On Thursday Israel declared a security zone in southern Lebanon covering hundreds of square miles. Lebanese officials have insisted on full Israeli withdrawal a step Iran stated was mandated by the memorandum.

Vance stated that Israel must honor the peace process.

US forces have ended their naval blockade of Iranian ports that had blocked vessel movement to and from the country the US military announced on Thursday noting that its ships would stay in the general vicinity.

Traffic stayed limited in the strait of Hormuz the key passage for energy shipments that Iran had closed during the conflict.