The Israeli and Lebanese governments agreed to a ceasefire to end hostilities on Monday night, with plans to renew the fragile agreement on Wednesday. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he intervened to prevent an imminent Israeli strike on Beirut, stating he had spoken with Benjamin Netanyahu and Hezbollah representatives. According to Trump, Hezbollah representatives had agreed that "all shooting will stop." On Wednesday, President Trump indicated he sought to separate discussions on the conflict in Lebanon from those concerning the war with Iran.
Lebanon and Israel reportedly agreed to establish "pilot zones" where the Lebanese armed forces would "take exclusive control of the territory to the exclusion of all non-state actors." Lebanese media outlets reported on Thursday that Israeli troops commenced withdrawing from the villages of Dibbine and Marjayoun, with Lebanese counterparts replacing them.
Hezbollah Rejects US-Brokered Deal
Hezbollah has rejected a US-brokered ceasefire plan that the Lebanese and Israeli governments reportedly agreed upon. Naim Qassem, a leader of the group, described the plan as a "roadmap to annihilate part of the Lebanese people." Qassem demanded a complete ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon, stating, "As long as the occupation exists, the resistance will continue. We call upon the officials to put an end to this farce and humiliation called direct negotiations." The proposed deal called for a complete cessation of fire from Hezbollah and the evacuation of all its fighters south of the Litani River.
The Lebanese government has been negotiating with Israel without Hezbollah as part of its efforts to reassert control over the country and disarm the group. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam defended the negotiations, saying, "The negotiation track we chose is the fastest and least costly road for Lebanon, the Lebanese people, the south and its residents." Salam also stated that those who delay or reject a ceasefire would bear responsibility for the consequences. Hezbollah strikes have killed two civilians in Israel and at least 21 Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. Esmail Qaani, head of the Quds Force, affirmed, "Supporting the resistance in Lebanon is the duty of all of us, and removing Israel from the region is an attainable goal for Muslims." Qaani added that "The minimum demand of the resistance is the withdrawal of the usurping regime to the position it held before the start of the 40-day war."
Escalation and Regional Dynamics
Israel conducted several airstrikes on Thursday in Lebanon's Nabatieh area and the western Bekaa valley, resulting in four fatalities. Hezbollah, for its part, stated that it targeted Israeli soldiers in the southern Lebanese village of Qantara on the same day. Israeli strikes have killed at least 3,516 people in Lebanon, and Israel controls more than 600 square kilometers (230 square miles) of territory in southern Lebanon. Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, asserted that his country possessed "freedom of action, backed by the United States, to strike Beirut in response to attacks on Israeli communities and territory." Meanwhile, a peace deal with Iran remains elusive.
US Stance and Future Outlook
U.S. President Donald Trump indicated on Wednesday his desire to separate discussions regarding the conflict in Lebanon from those concerning the war with Iran. When asked about a ceasefire in Lebanon, Trump responded that it was "a different part of the world." Trump also reportedly described the Israeli prime minister as "crazy." Iran's foreign ministry stated on Thursday that Lebanon was an "integral part of any ceasefire and any final agreement." Esmail Qaani, head of the Quds Force, previously wrote that "The minimum demand of the resistance is the withdrawal of the usurping regime to the position it held before the start of the 40-day war."
