16-10-2024 (JERUSALEM) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly rebuffed the notion of a ceasefire in Lebanon that would allow Hezbollah to maintain its presence near Israel’s northern border. This stance comes amidst escalating threats from the militant group to broaden its attacks.
Speaking on Tuesday, Netanyahu emphasised his opposition to any unilateral ceasefire that fails to address the security situation in Lebanon. In a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, the Israeli leader stressed the necessity of a buffer zone along the Israel-Lebanon border, free from Hezbollah fighters.
“Israel will not acquiesce to any arrangement that doesn’t provide this buffer and prevent Hezbollah from rearming and regrouping,” Netanyahu’s office stated.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, delivered a defiant televised address, insisting that a ceasefire was the only solution whilst threatening to expand missile strikes across Israel. “Given that the Israeli enemy has targeted all of Lebanon, we reserve the right, from a defensive stance, to target any location in Israel,” Qassem declared.
The ongoing conflict has seen Hezbollah launch rockets towards the northern Israeli city of Haifa and target Israeli military equipment near the border. In response, Israel has conducted bombing raids in southern and eastern Lebanon, including strikes in the Bekaa Valley that reportedly disabled a hospital in Baalbek.
The United States has expressed concerns over Israel’s military actions, particularly regarding recent airstrikes in Beirut. US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated, “We have made it clear that we oppose the campaign as it has been conducted over the past weeks in Beirut.”
The US administration has also raised issues about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. In a letter to the Israeli government, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned of potential restrictions on weapons deliveries unless more aid reaches Palestinians in Gaza.
