Netanyahu rejects US-led ceasefire plan as Israeli jets strike Beirut

Israel’s prime minister has rejected a US-led ceasefire proposal and sworn to continue fighting Hezbollah with “full force”.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement on Thursday morning dismissing reports that a three-week ceasefire was imminent.
It came as Israel Defence Forces (IDF) jets struck Beirut again, killing Muahammad Hussein Sarour, the commander of Hezbollah’s aerial forces, whom the IDF says was responsible for numerous drone and missile attacks on Israel.
“The report about a ceasefire is incorrect,” the statement said. “This is an American-French proposal that the prime minister has not even responded to.
“The report about the purported directive to ease up on the fighting in the north is the opposite of the truth. The prime minister has directed the IDF to continue fighting with full force, according to the plan that was presented to him.”
Mr Netanyahu insisted that the fighting would continue in both Gaza and Lebanon until all Israel’s war objectives were achieved.
The Israeli prime minister’s statement was followed by confirmation from Israel Katz, his foreign minister.
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Katz said: “There will be no ceasefire in the north. We will continue to fight against the terrorist organisation Hezbollah with all our might until victory and the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes.” 
He was referring to some 63,000 Israelis who remain displaced from the region.
On Wednesday night, a statement signed by the US, UK, France and other allies called for an immediate 21-day ceasefire across the Israel-Lebanon border.
On Thursday morning, reports had suggested that an agreement was close.
Mr Netanyahu’s firm public rejection of the deal frustrated his Western allies, after he had privately signalled he was open to a ceasefire, a senior Western diplomat told the Times of Israel.
The diplomat said this was typical of Mr Netanyahu’s conduct in Gaza hostage talks, where he showed flexibility behind closed doors before making tougher statements in public.
On Thursday, Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s firebrand national security minister, threatened to withdraw his hard-Right Otzma Yehudit party from Mr Netanyahu’s coalition if there was any ceasefire with Hezbollah.
“The most basic and understandable thing is that when your enemy is on his knees, you do not allow him to recover, but work to defeat him,” Mr Ben-Gvir said, arguing that pausing fighting “conveys weakness, endangers the security of your citizens, and proves that you do not intend to win”.
Mr Netanyahu has long been accused of scuppering peace talks for fear of losing power.
On Wednesday, Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, Israel’s chief of staff, said Israel was preparing for a ground invasion of Lebanon and told troops their “boots” could soon enter “enemy territory”.
By Thursday afternoon, the IDF had announced that its 7th Brigade had concluded an exercise simulating manoeuvres in Lebanon. 
“The exercise took place a few kilometres from the border and trained the troops in manoeuvring and combat in thicketed mountainous terrain,” the Israeli military said.
Speaking about the assassination of the Hezbollah aerial forces chief, Lt Gen Halevi said: “We need to continue attacking Hezbollah. We have been waiting for this opportunity for years.
“We are constantly working to … eliminate more senior officials, to thwart the transfer of weapons, to [destroy] Hezbollah’s firepower and to attack it in all of Lebanon.”
Israeli fighter jets also struck infrastructure along the Syria-Lebanon border which the IDF said was used by Hezbollah to transfer weapons from Syria.
The strikes came as Hezbollah fired at least 40 rockets at northern Israel after a 19-hour lull.
Speaking at the UN general assembly in New York, Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, called on world leaders to “stop sending weapons to Israel”.
Israel said it had concluded negotiations to receive $8.7 billion (£6.5 billion) of US aid to continue its military operations.
The package comprises $3.5 billion (£2.6 billion) for essential wartime procurement and $5.2 billion (£3.9 billion) for air defence systems, including the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and an advanced laser system, said Maj Gen Eyal Zamir, the director-general of Israel’s ministry of defence.
Thanks for following our live coverage of the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in the Middle East. 
We’ll be back soon with more updates and analysis from the conflict.
Here’s a recap of today’s events. 
Benjamin Netanyahu had planned to speak at the United Nations general assembly in New York on Thursday, though this has been pushed back to Friday. 
The Israeli prime minister landed in New York this afternoon, where he is expected to meet the president of Paraguay, and the prime ministers of Serbia, Greece, and the Netherlands.
Israel’s defence minister has approved the “continued IDF offensive activity” against Hezbollah in Lebanon, his office has said. 
Yoav Gallant met with the IDF’s chief of staff on Thursday to approve the plans, when they also obsvered the air strike on Beirut.
Defence sources said the air strike targeted the head of Hezbollah’s aerial forces, who is responsible for the terror group’s drones, cruise missiles, and air defences.
At least 26 people have been killed in strikes across Lebanon today, according to the Lebanese health authorities. 
Some 20 people were killed in Younine, north east Lebanon – 19 of whom were Syrian.
Three people were killed in Tyre, one person was killed in Qana, southern Lebanon, and two people were killed in Cadmus.
Israeli ministers who have publicly rejected calls for a ceasefire with Hezbollah are “deliberately attempting to damage negotiations”, a Western diplomat has told Haaretz. 
Earlier on Thursday Israel Katz, the foreign minsiter, said there would be no ceasefire in the north. 
Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, rejected reports that a ceasefire was “hours away”. 
We have more pictures coming in from Beirut after the IDF launched another strike on Thursday.
Israel’s target in its strike on Beirut was the “the head of Hezbollah’s drone unit”, according to Hebrew media.
The Israeli military said it is currently carrying out “precise strikes” in Beirut.
A source close to Hezbollah told AFP that the strike targeted one of its senior commanders.
The IDF’s 7th brigade has conducted exercises just a few kilometres from the border with Lebanon, Israel’s military said in a statement on Thursday. 
It follows the military’s army chief telling troops on Wednesday that “your boots will enter enemy territory” ahead of a “possible” ground invasion.
Thousands of Israeli reservists were also called up for operations on the northern border.
Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, has said the “world is speaking clearly” over the need for a ceasefire in the Middle East. 
It follows reports that a ceasefire deal could be reached “within hours” – which were rejected by Israel’s top minsiters, including Benjamin Netanyahu.
The IDF has continued striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and near the border with Syria on Thursday, despite reports that a ceasefire deal was imminent.
Children from both Lebanon and Israel have been impacted by the escalating conflict in the Middle East. 
At least one million Israelis were forced into bomb shelters on Wednesday, according to the IDF, while tens of thousands of Lebanese civilians have fled their homes due to Israeli air strikes.
The 21-day ceasefire deal proposed by the US, France and the UK would be implemented along the Blue Line.
The Blue Line is a demarcation line established by the United Nations dividing Lebanon from Israel and the occupied Golan Heights. 
It was drawn in 2000 by the UN to ensure that Israel had fully withdrawn from Lebanon. It is under constant monitoring by UN peacekeepers.
It also seeks to ensure that Hezbollah remains behind the Litani river, which is located around 20 miles from Israel’s border. However, its fighters have moved forward since it started attacking Israel on Oct 8 last year.
In July 2006, war broke out between Israel and Hezbollah. At the end of the war, the UN Security Council Resolution 1701 ordered that all troops “show full respect” for the Blue Line. 
An Israeli air strike hit the end of a small border crossing between Syria and Lebanon, according to the Lebanese transport minister. 
Ali Hamieh told Reuters that he was unsure if the crossing could still be used. 
The Israeli military said it attacked infrastructure used to transfer weapons from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“The IDF will continue to strike and act against the Hezbollah terrorist organisation’s attempts to arm itself and transfer weapons into Lebanon from Syrian territory,” a statement read.
Israel and Hezbollah continued trading blows on Thursday morning despite reports that a ceasefire deal was imminent. 
The IDF said it attacked around 75 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, while the Iran-backed terror group fired dozens back.
Israel’s foreign minister has said there will be “no ceasefire in the north” with Hezbollah after Benjamin Netanyahu dealt a blow to hopes that the fighting could soon stop. 
“We will continue to fight the Hezbollah terror group with full force until victory and the return of residents of the north to their homes safely,” Israel Katz said. 
Mr Katz is serving as prime minister while Mr Netanyahu is in New York, though he does not have the power to make operational decisions about the war.
It follows reports from Sky News and Lebanon’s MTV News that a ceasefire deal could be achieved “in the coming hours”. 
After days of nervousness, it feels like there is a mood of cautious optimism at least in parts of Beirut this morning.
Even in areas of the Lebanese capital unaffected by Israeli airstrikes, jittery residents had been staying at home far more than usual in a city famed for its nightlife. Shops and restaurants have been closing early, while office staff have often been working from home.
But the cafés are a little more lively this morning.
“It’s the first time I’ve left home except to shop for five days,” said Rima Khayat, a designer, as she sipped a cappuccino in a café in the Gemmayzeh district of eastern Beirut. “I’m feeling a little more confident. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the end is in sight.”
But for some traumatised Shia and Christian families who had fled the south there will be greater scepticism and pessimism.
“I can’t believe the Israelis would stop now,” said Zainab, a mother of three who fled the village of Shhur on Monday as Israel launched the heaviest aerial bombardment of the 21st century — much of which targeted Hezbollah positions south of the Litani River in and around places like Shhur.
“When we left they were bombing the village. My neighbour’s house was destroyed. So even if there is peace will there be anything left for us to go back to?”
A spokesman for Benjamin Netanyahu has said reports about an imminent ceasefire are “not true”.
“The news about the supposed directive to moderate the fighting in the north is also the opposite of the truth,” the statement read. 
“The Prime Minister instructed the IDF to continue the fighting with full force, and according to the plans presented to him.
“Also, the fighting in Gaza will continue until all the goals of the war are achieved.”
The Israeli prime minister is currently travelling to New York ahead of his speech at the United Nations general assembly.
Hezbollah fired around 45 rockets from Lebanon, Israel’s military said on Thursday, as ceasefire talks continued.
“Approximately 45 projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon. Some of the projectiles were intercepted and the rest fell in open areas,” the IDF said, adding that Israeli warplanes continued to strike Hezbollah targets “in several areas in southern Lebanon”.
While Israel’s prime minister is en route to the United Nations General Assembly, Israel remains on tenterhooks.
With talks of a possible 21-day ceasefire, the country once again stands between a rock and a hard place.
After the longest Gaza war, the country is war weary but they know that without significant military action, the situation in the north will not shift.
A 21-day ceasefire will not return the 63,000 displaced Israelis nor resolve the fact that since the 2006 UN resolution 1701, Hezbollah has neither retreated nor disarmed as was the premise of the treaty.
Mr Netanyahu has made returning the country’s displaced a top war goal alongside the returning of the hostages in Gaza and dismantling of Hamas.
And as he tires of the pressure of the US, the question of his complying is unclear as he remains tight-lipped amid negotiations. 
Tzipi Hotovely, the Israeli ambassador to the UK, has told LBC’s Nick Ferrari that Israel is giving diplomacy a chance amid reports of an imminent ceasefire with Hezbollah. 
“The people from the north cannot go back to their homes,” she told LBC. 
“I believe today that we’re true chance to diplomacy to work but at the same time we’re prepared to all other alternatives just in case diplomacy fails,” she said.
‘We’re prepared for all other alternatives if diplomacy fails.’ Israeli Ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, addresses reports that an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire is ‘close’. @NickFerrariLBC pic.twitter.com/Tb5lPWiYmL
Lebanese officials have sounded cautiously optimistic that the White House’s initiative could yield a ceasefire, with Nabih Berri, Lebanon’s parliamentary speaker, saying he is working with the Americans to de-escalate the conflict. 
Berri, whose party is allied to Hezbollah in the Lebanese party, told the Asharq Al-Awsat, an Arabic language newspaper, yesterday that the next 24 hours would be crucial.
The biggest issue facing Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader, is that he has repeatedly insisted his movement would continue firing rockets into northern Israel until there is a ceasefire in Gaza. 
Hundreds of his fighters have died as a result of his campaign. Ending it without achieving this goal risks crippling Hezbollah’s reputation among Lebanese Shias and across the Middle East more broadly. It would severely undermine Nasrallah’s own credibility.
Hezbollah is clearly in a deep bind. Iran has reportedly refused its pleas to fire on Israel in support of the movement, which is still reeling from a series of devastating blows that have incapacitated thousands of its fighters, killed many of its senior commanders, crippled morale and eroded its missile-firing capabilities. 
It is too soon to say if Nasrallah accepts the US proposal – his movement still holds a large arsenal of rockets despite the setbacks of the past week – but if he does he and his movement will have paid an enormous price for their rocket attacks on Israel.
At least 23 Syrians, most of them women or children, were killed in an Israeli strike on a three-storey building in the Lebanese town of Younine late on Wednesday, Ali Qusas, the town’s mayor, told Reuters.
Qusas said another eight people were wounded.
The pro-Iran Islamic Resistance in Iraq group said it attacked Israel’s Red Sea port of Eilat on Wednesday.
Israel’s military said it intercepted a drone approaching Eilat and that another fell in the area. It reported two minor injuries.
Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s far-right finance minister, has rejected talk of a ceasefire with Hezbollah, saying displaced Israelis can only be returned to their homes in the north if the Iran-backed group surrenders or is taken to war.
“The campaign in the north should end in one scenario – crushing Hezbollah and denying its ability to harm the residents of the north,” Smotrich said.
“The enemy must not be given time to recover from the heavy blows he received and to reorganize for the continuation of the war after 21 days.
“Surrender of Hezbollah or war, that’s the only way we will return the residents and security to the north and the country.”
Israel’s military said it struck around 75 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon overnight, primarily in the Bekaa Valley and the south of the country.
The IDF said it has been striking weapons storage facilities and ready-to-fire rocket launchers, many of which are stored in homes, according to Israeli intelligence.
A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah may be imminent, according to US officials, but on Wednesday Israel’s army chief told troops Israel is preparing to put boots on the ground with an invasion of Lebanon.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) jets have carried out heavy bombardments of Hezbollah targets to pave the way for “your boots” to “enter enemy territory”, Lt Gen Herzi Halevi told troops. 
It came as the Israeli army called up two brigades of reservists, around 4,000 soldiers, for operations on the northern border.
The purpose of the invasion would be to allow Israeli citizens to return to their homes in the north, Gen Halevi added.
Read the full story here.
Lebanon’s prime minsiter believes a ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah is possible soon.
Asked if a ceasefire could be secured soon, Najib Mikati told Reuters: “Hopefully, yes.”
It comes after the United States, France and the United Kingdom called for a 21-day ceasefire along the Israel-Lebanon border.
Benjamin Netanyahu has departed for New York, where he will address the United Nations amid escalating violence in the Middle East.
The Israeli prime minister had initially delayed the trip but is now expected to give a speech at 9.30am local time (2.30pm in the UK), according to Hebrew media.
Israel Katz, foreign minister, will officially serve as acting prime minister while Mr Netanyahu is away.
Four people were killed in overnight Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon, according to the country’s health authorities. 
Three people were killed in Aita el Shaab, while one person, of Syrian nationality, was killed in Qana, also in southern Lebanon.
A potential 21-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon comes against the backdrop of deadly strikes over the last few days. 
At least 600 people were killed by Israeli strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in ‘Operation Northern Arrows’, which was launched on Monday, according to the Lebanese health authorities.
Hezbollah has also fired hundreds of rockets back at Israel, including one directed at Mossad’s headquarters, though there have been no reported deaths. Several people have been injured from shrapnel.
Thousands of Britons are still trapped in Lebanon, with Border Force officers being deployed to help as many as 6,000 people flee amid the worsening conflict.
Sir Keir Starmer has also not ruled out deploying troops on the ground to evacuate Britons from Lebanon if necessary, after sending 700 extra soldiers to Cyprus.
Read the full story on evacuations here
Britain has joined the US, France and a host of allies in calling for the immediate temporary ceasefire in Lebanon, decrying the escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah as “intolerable”.
The joint statement released by the White House read: 
“The situation between Lebanon and Israel since October 8th, 2023 is intolerable and presents an unacceptable risk of a broader regional escalation. This is in nobody’s interest, neither of the people of Israel nor of the people of Lebanon.
“It is time to conclude a diplomatic settlement that enables civilians on both sides of the border to return to their homes in safety.
“Diplomacy however cannot succeed amid an escalation of this conflict.”
Signatories to the statement included the UK, the US, Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
The ceasefire deal set to come into effect within hours along the Israel-Lebanon border, according to sources, will also allow for progress to be made on the conflict in Gaza. 
“It buys some time and space to try to pursue an arrangement in Gaza along the lines of the hostage deal we’ve been discussing,” the US official told Sky News.
“We believe, regardless of what has happened on the battlefield over the last several days, the moment we feel is now to achieve that diplomatic resolution; to get there.”
We will be bringing you the latest on the conflict in the Middle East today. 
A 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is reportedly set to be implemented “in the coming hours” along the Israel-Lebanon border.