Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said that his government has not responded to a US and French proposal for a 21-day ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon, instructing the military to continue fighting with “full force.”
The proposal, aimed at halting the escalating conflict along the Israel-Lebanon border, has not yet been addressed by Israel, according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office.
“It is an American-French proposal, which the prime minister has not even responded to,” the statement clarified, adding that Netanyahu has ordered the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) “to continue the fighting with full force.” Netanyahu also emphasized that operations in Gaza would persist until Israel’s war aims are fully met.
IDF chief warns Hezbollah of ground offensive
IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi issued a stern warning to Hezbollah, stating that a ground offensive was imminent. Speaking to soldiers of the 7th Armored Brigade during a military drill, Halevi declared, “Your military boots will enter enemy territory, enter villages that Hezbollah has prepared as large military outposts, with underground infrastructure, staging points, and launchpads.”
Halevi made it clear that Israeli forces are ready to engage Hezbollah directly. “You are coming in much stronger and far more experienced than they are. You will go in, destroy the enemy there, and decisively destroy their infrastructure,” he said, adding that the ultimate goal is to “safely return the residents of the north.”
Earlier this week, Hezbollah fired a Qadr 1 ballistic missile targeting the headquarters of Israel’s intelligence service Mossad in Tel Aviv. While the missile was intercepted, it marked the first time Hezbollah has launched such a weapon towards Israel.
In response, Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon. According to Al Jazeera, the strikes have killed 569 people and wounded 1,835 others.
Violence escalates in Gaza
The fighting in Gaza also shows no signs of slowing. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that at least 50 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes within the last 24 hours. Despite international calls for restraint, Israel continues its bombardment, stating that military actions will not cease until its objectives are accomplished.
International call for ceasefire
The United States, European Union, and several Arab states, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia, have issued a joint call for a 21-day ceasefire. The situation in Lebanon has become “intolerable” and “is in nobody’s interest, neither of the people of Israel nor of the people of Lebanon,” said a joint statement from US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, and other allies.
The international leaders have urged an immediate halt to hostilities, with Biden and Macron emphasizing the need for diplomacy. However, Netanyahu’s office has made it clear that, for now, the fighting will continue.