Israel rejects US-backed ceasefire, vows to fight Hezbollah until victory
- In Reports
- 07:27 PM, Sep 26, 2024
- Myind Staff
Israel rejected proposals for a ceasefire with Hezbollah on Thursday, despite calls from its allies, including the United States, for an immediate three-week pause in fighting. This ceasefire was intended to create space for diplomatic efforts to prevent the conflict from escalating into a larger war.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz took to X and said, “There will be no ceasefire in the north. We will continue to fight against the Hezbollah terrorist organisation with all our strength until victory and the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes.”
Prime Minister Najib Mikati had expressed optimism that a ceasefire could be reached soon in Lebanon, where hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes in search of safety. The remarks crushed hopes for a speedy settlement. International leaders expressed alarm over the conflict's rapid escalation, which was occurring concurrently with Israel's war in Gaza. There are concerns about a potential Israeli ground offensive across the Lebanese-Israeli border following the fiercest fighting in almost 20 years between Israel and the Hezbollah organisation, which is supported by Iran.
Since the Iranian Revolutionary Guards founded the Shi'ite Muslim movement in 1982 in response to an Israeli invasion of Lebanon, Hezbollah and the Israeli military have engaged in combat. Since then, it has developed into Tehran's most potent ally in the Middle East. An immediate ceasefire spanning 21 days was demanded by the US, France, and a number of other allies across the Israel-Lebanon border. Their support for a ceasefire in Gaza was also conveyed after heated discussions at the UN.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the army should continue fighting even though he had not yet responded to the ceasefire proposal before travelling to New York to address the UN. Hardliners in his administration suggested that Israel should reject any truce and continue to attack Hezbollah until it gives up. After months of cross-border fighting with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement, Israel has launched its most intense airstrikes against Lebanon since a war in 2006, killing over 600 people.
This move puts the country on the verge of full-scale conflict. Although Israel's aerial defence system has made sure that the damage has been minimal, Hezbollah has launched hundreds of missiles at Israeli targets, including, for the first time, Tel Aviv, the country's commercial centre. Lebanese leader Mikati responded, "Hopefully, yes," when asked if a ceasefire could be achieved quickly by news agency Reuters. Hezbollah, which is regarded as Lebanon's most potent political force, selected several of the ministers in his caretaker government.
In what may have been the most direct public statement regarding the prospect of a ground invasion of Lebanon, Israel's army chief advised troops in the vicinity of the border to be ready to cross on Wednesday.
According to Lebanon's transport minister, an Israeli strike struck a border crossing on the Syrian side. According to Younine's mayor, Ali Qusas, Reuters, Israel struck a three-storey building in the Lebanese town of Younine overnight, killing at least 23 Syrians, the majority of whom were women and children. Approximately 1.5 million Syrians who fled the civil war there now reside in Lebanon.
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