Hezbollah has rejected the latest ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Lebanese government, demanding a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon. This announcement coincided with Israeli airstrikes that resulted in the deaths of at least four individuals, according to local authorities. A United Nations peacekeeper was also killed, and an Israeli soldier died in combat in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem criticized the ceasefire negotiations, describing them as 'absurd, humiliating, and insulting.' He stated that the agreement's requirement for Hezbollah fighters to withdraw under fire would equate to surrender. Kassem emphasized that Hezbollah would not cease fighting while their communities were under threat.
Following Kassem's remarks, sirens were activated in several northern Israeli border communities, including Shlomi, shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit. The Israeli military reported that the sirens were triggered by attempts to intercept drones near soldiers in southern Lebanon, with no injuries reported.
Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir acknowledged the strain on northern Israeli towns due to ongoing hostilities with Hezbollah, indicating that the situation had created a new security reality.
In related developments, Lebanese troops began moving into the southern village of Dibbine in coordination with U.N. peacekeepers after Israeli forces withdrew from the area, marking the first such withdrawal since the recent conflict began.
The ongoing fighting in Lebanon poses challenges to efforts aimed at resolving the Iran conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil transit route. Iran has insisted that any lasting ceasefire must include Lebanon, while Netanyahu aims to continue military operations against Hezbollah.
The conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with over 3,500 people killed in Lebanon and more than 1.2 million displaced. The fighting has also claimed the lives of at least 28 Israeli soldiers and three civilians.
