Netanyahu says there is no ceasefire in Lebanon as Israel launches fresh strikes
The Guardian • • world
Key Points:
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared there is "no ceasefire in Lebanon" and vowed to continue military strikes against Hezbollah, following fresh attacks on what the IDF called "Hezbollah launch sites."
- The US announced that Israel and Lebanon will hold talks in Washington next week, aiming to focus on disarming Iranian-backed Hezbollah, although neither country has confirmed these talks publicly.
- Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei stated that Iran does not seek war but will protect its rights and support the resistance front, referencing Lebanon, amid ongoing Israeli bombardments that have killed over 300 people since the ceasefire announcement.
- Conflicting interpretations of the ceasefire's geographic scope have emerged, with Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump excluding Lebanon due to Hezbollah's involvement, while Pakistan and other mediators assert Lebanon was included, complicating peace negotiations.
- International actors, including the EU, UK, France, and Canada, have condemned Israel's strikes in Lebanon as excessive and destabilizing, calling for a comprehensive ceasefire and emphasizing efforts to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz for global oil and gas flow.
