US says Lebanon must disarm Hezbollah as per 'agreement'

Lebanon must disarm Hezbollah as agreed under the terms of the November truce with Israel, the U.S. State Department said Friday, after rocket fire prompted Israel to bomb Beirut's southern suburbs for the first time since the agreement came into effect.

Israel and Beirut agreed the terms of ceasefire in November, but rockets have been fired from Lebanon twice this week, prompting Israeli air raids in return.

The Iran-backed Hezbollah has denied involvement in the rocket fire, but Israel has vowed to respond to "enforce the ceasefire."

A spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department, Tammy Bruce, indicated that Washington supports the Israeli position.

"The reason that any attacks have happened is because terrorists launched rockets into Israel from Lebanon. That is a violation of the cessation of hostilities. It is a violation of the ceasefire when terrorist groups, when armed groups, shoot rockets," Bruce said.

"As part of the cessation of hostilities agreement, the government of Lebanon is responsible for disarming Hezbollah, and we expect the Lebanese armed forces to disarm these terrorists to prevent further hostilities," she said.