By Anietie anii-bassey
Hezbollah has firmly rejected a newly announced ceasefire agreement negotiated between Israel and the Lebanese government, insisting that any truce must include a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory before the group agrees to halt its military operations.
The rejection came amid continued violence across southern and eastern Lebanon, where Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed at least four people and a United Nations peacekeeper lost his life in the escalating conflict.
In a statement broadcast on Lebanese television, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Kassem condemned the terms of the proposed agreement, particularly provisions requiring the group’s fighters to withdraw from southern Lebanon while Israeli military operations continue. Kassem argued that accepting such conditions would amount to surrender and would effectively hand Israel a strategic victory.
According to Kassem, Hezbollah’s priority remains ending what it describes as Israeli aggression, securing a ceasefire, and ensuring the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory. He emphasized that Hezbollah had not committed to ending its armed resistance and would continue fighting as long as Israeli troops remain inside Lebanon.
The latest diplomatic setback highlights the growing difficulty of ending a conflict that has become increasingly intertwined with the broader regional confrontation involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.
The war in Lebanon has complicated efforts to stabilize the Middle East and restore normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy corridors. Continued disruptions in the region have fueled concerns over global energy supplies and economic stability.
Iran has repeatedly insisted that any comprehensive settlement to the wider regional conflict must include a lasting ceasefire in Lebanon. Tehran views Hezbollah as a key ally and has maintained that Israeli military operations in Lebanon must end before broader peace efforts can succeed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, has shown little indication of backing away from military objectives. Facing political pressures and upcoming elections, Netanyahu has maintained that Israel will continue operations until Hezbollah no longer poses a significant security threat. Israeli officials argue that Hezbollah’s rocket and drone attacks against northern Israel necessitated the current campaign.
Israeli forces have steadily expanded their presence in southern Lebanon since the conflict intensified. Military analysts estimate that Israeli troops now control roughly one-fifth of Lebanese territory, representing Israel’s deepest military penetration into the country since the end of its occupation of southern Lebanon in 2000.
U.S. President Donald Trump has sought to project optimism despite repeated ceasefire breakdowns. Speaking to reporters, Trump downplayed concerns about the fragile diplomatic process, acknowledging the difficulties of achieving a complete halt in hostilities while suggesting that reduced levels of violence could still represent progress toward a broader settlement.
The conflict claimed the life of a United Nations peacekeeper on Thursday when a mortar round struck a UNIFIL position near the southern Lebanese town of Marjayoun. The victim was identified as a Serbian member of the peacekeeping force. Two additional peacekeepers were wounded in the incident.
Officials from both UNIFIL and Serbia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the casualties but did not specify whether the mortar fire originated from Israeli forces or Hezbollah fighters. The incident underscored the growing risks facing international personnel stationed in areas where combat operations remain active.
Elsewhere in southern Lebanon, local authorities reported additional casualties from Israeli strikes. A drone strike targeting a motorcyclist in the village of Maaroub killed one person and injured four others. In the eastern Bekaa Valley, airstrikes on the village of Sohmor reportedly killed three people and wounded several more. Additional strikes were reported in other parts of southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the reported attacks. However, Israeli officials have repeatedly warned civilians to avoid areas where military operations against Hezbollah infrastructure are ongoing.
Despite repeated announcements of ceasefires and de-escalation efforts over the past year, fighting has continued with little interruption. Hezbollah resumed rocket attacks shortly after Israel and the United States launched a major military operation against Iran earlier this year.
Even before that escalation, Israeli forces had continued carrying out regular strikes inside Lebanon, targeting what they described as Hezbollah positions despite previous truce agreements.
Among ordinary Lebanese citizens, skepticism toward ceasefire announcements has grown. Residents in the southern coastal city of Sidon expressed frustration that repeated diplomatic declarations have failed to bring lasting security.
Many described a cycle of displacement in which families return to damaged homes following ceasefire announcements only to flee again when hostilities resume. The continued uncertainty has left communities exhausted after months of conflict.
The humanitarian impact has been severe. More than 3,500 people have reportedly been killed in Lebanon since the conflict intensified, while over 1.2 million residents have been displaced from their homes. On the Israeli side, the fighting has killed 27 soldiers and three civilians.
The latest ceasefire proposal emerged from U.S.-mediated negotiations between Israel and the Lebanese government. Beirut has long accused Hezbollah of drawing Lebanon into regional conflicts and has previously attempted to reduce the group’s military influence, though with limited success.
The agreement envisions the Lebanese Armed Forces assuming control over security zones in southern Lebanon and preventing Hezbollah fighters from operating in those areas. However, Hezbollah was not a direct party to the negotiations, raising immediate doubts about the deal’s viability.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun described the agreement as a critical opportunity to achieve a final and comprehensive ceasefire. He stated that Lebanon was prepared to move forward with implementation once consultations with domestic political and military factions, including Hezbollah, were completed.
Under the proposed framework, the United States would play a central role in overseeing implementation and supporting the Lebanese military as it seeks to establish greater authority in regions historically influenced by Hezbollah.
The agreement also contains language characterizing Hezbollah as a threat not only to Israel and the United States but also to Lebanon itself. While successive Lebanese governments have pledged to limit Hezbollah’s military capabilities, the state lacks the resources and political consensus needed to forcibly disarm the organization.
One of the major unresolved issues remains the timeline for an Israeli withdrawal. The agreement does not specify when Israeli troops would leave southern Lebanon, a point that Hezbollah and Iran have both identified as essential for any lasting settlement.
Iran renewed its demands for a comprehensive Lebanese ceasefire on Thursday. Major General Esmail Qaani, head of the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force, called for Israeli forces to withdraw from Lebanese territory and reiterated Tehran’s support for Hezbollah and other regional resistance movements.
At the same time, tensions remain high around the Strait of Hormuz, where military exchanges between Iran and the United States have raised fears of wider regional instability. The strategic waterway, through which a significant share of the world’s oil and natural gas exports normally pass, has experienced major disruptions since the conflict began.
The situation further deteriorated following a strike on a commercial airport in Kuwait that also serves American military logistics operations. The attack killed an Indian national and wounded more than 60 people, including travelers and airport personnel. Iranian authorities denied responsibility for the strike.
As diplomatic efforts continue, the conflict in Lebanon remains one of the most volatile fronts in the broader Middle East crisis, with ceasefire proposals repeatedly colliding with deep political divisions, military realities on the ground, and competing regional interests.