Photo: Kawnat Haju Agence France-Presse A UN vehicle drives past buildings destroyed by Israeli strikes in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre on Tuesday.
Lisa Golden – Agence France-Presse and Pierre-Henry Deshayes – Agence France-Presse in Beirut and Jerusalem respectively
Published at 8:23 AM Updated at 1:31 PM
- Middle East
The leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah delivered a combative speech Wednesday, warning that Israel could not impose its conditions for a ceasefire in the war in Lebanon, where U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein held negotiations before traveling to Israel.
The United States and France are stepping up efforts to broker a truce in the conflict between the powerful pro-Iranian movement and Israel.
Hezbollah opened a front against Israel in the wake of Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023, that sparked war in the Gaza Strip, saying it was acting in support of the Palestinian Islamist movement.
The Lebanese movement and the Israeli army entered into open warfare on September 23, with the Israeli army has been carrying out incursions into southern Lebanon since September 30.
The American ambassador to Beirut, Lisa Johnson, presented the Lebanese authorities last week with a 13-point plan providing for a 60-day truce and the deployment of the army in southern Lebanon, one of Hezbollah's strongholds.
“Progress” ?
Arriving in Beirut on Tuesday, Mr. Hochstein reported on Wednesday “additional progress” after discussions with the speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, who liaises with Hezbollah. He is expected later in the day in Israel.
Israel “cannot impose its conditions on us,” warned the head of Lebanese Hezbollah Naim Qassem in a pre-recorded speech.
He added that Hezbollah demanded “a complete halt to aggression” in Lebanon. “The Israeli enemy cannot enter Lebanese territory whenever it wants” in the event of a ceasefire, he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Monday that Israel would “conduct military operations” against Hezbollah even in the event of a truce.
And Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Wednesday that any agreement would have to give his country “freedom of action” against Hezbollah.
Mr. Qassem also warned that his movement would target “the center of Tel Aviv,” in response to recent Israeli strikes on the capital Beirut.
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000On Wednesday, Lebanon’s official news agency (ANI) reported “heavy clashes” in the south of the country, adding that Israeli forces were trying to “advance toward the Kfarchouba hills” under heavy artillery and air cover. Hezbollah said it had carried out several attacks in northern Israel.
The violence between Israel and Hezbollah has left more than 3,540 people dead since October 2023, most since the start of Israel’s massive bombing campaign on September 23. On the Israeli side, 79 soldiers and 46 civilians have been killed in 13 months.
Israel says it wants to push Hezbollah away from the border regions of southern Lebanon to allow the return of some 60,000 residents of northern Israel displaced by the movement's gunfire. In Lebanon, tens of thousands of residents have also been displaced.
The Lebanese army announced on Wednesday the death of a soldier in an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon, bringing to 18 the number of its soldiers killed since September 23.
The Israeli army assured that it was fighting against Hezbollah and not against the Lebanese army.
American veto
France stressed on Tuesday the need to “respect resolution 1701” of the UN Security Council which enacted the end of the war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.
This resolution stipulates that only the Lebanese army and the Blues are to be deployed to the southern border of Lebanon, implying a withdrawal of the Hezbollah sector, but also that of Israeli soldiers from Lebanese territory.
The situation in the Middle East has escalated since the unprecedented attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023 in Israel, which resulted in the death of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official data, including hostages killed or killed in captivity.
That day, 251 people were kidnapped. In total, 97 remain hostages in Gaza, including 34 declared dead by the army.
Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg Associated Press Israeli firefighters inspect a residential building in Kiryat Shmona hit by a Hezbollah rocket.
In retaliation, the Israeli army launched a massive bombing campaign followed by a ground offensive in Gaza, which has left at least 43,985 dead, mostly civilians, according to data from Hamas’s health ministry, deemed reliable by the UN.
On Wednesday, at least 17 people, including a baby and a teenage girl, were killed in the Palestinian territory in new raids by the Israeli army, the local Civil Defense announced.
The Israeli army reported the death of one of its soldiers in fighting in the north.
The United States on Wednesday prevented the UN Security Council from calling for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent” ceasefire in Gaza, a new veto in support of its Israeli ally. Hamas subsequently accused Washington of being “directly responsible” for a “genocidal war” in Gaza.
While the humanitarian situation in Gaza is very serious, the Jordanian army announced on Wednesday that it had sent eight helicopters loaded with seven tons of aid.
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