Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued conflicting statements on Thursday regarding a proposed three-week ceasefire with Hezbollah, casting doubt on the prospects for a temporary halt to the hostilities.
In an overnight statement, Netanyahu’s office acknowledged Israel had been consulted on the US-led ceasefire initiative, praising American efforts as “indispensable” for regional stability. This came hours after an earlier release denied reports of a ceasefire, calling them “incorrect”.
The contradictory messages have left US officials seemingly wrong-footed, with White House national security spokesperson John Kirby stating they had believed Israel was “fully informed and fully aware” of the proposal’s details.
The ceasefire plan, backed by the United States, France, and other allies, aims to address the escalating violence that has seen nearly 700 Lebanese killed this week, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib urged all parties to implement the proposal, warning that the violence threatens his country’s “very existence”.
Meanwhile, Israel continues its military operations, with the IDF claiming to have killed Hezbollah’s drone force chief in a strike on Beirut. The Israeli military also reported intercepting a missile from Yemen that triggered air raid sirens in central Israel.
Netanyahu’s stance on the ceasefire proposal faces domestic political challenges, with far-right coalition partner Itamar Ben-Gvir threatening to withdraw support if a truce is agreed.
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