Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has endorsed a US plan for a ceasefire with Hezbollah, marking a significant step towards resolving the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
In a televised speech on Tuesday, Netanyahu announced that he had recommended the deal to the Israeli security cabinet, with a vote expected soon. The exact timing of the ceasefire and its specific terms were not disclosed.
This development follows over a year of intense conflict, including near-daily rocket fire, airstrikes, and ground skirmishes between Israeli forces and the militant group across Lebanon, resulting in thousands of casualties.
“Tonight I will bring to the cabinet approval an outline for a ceasefire in Lebanon, the duration will depend on what is happening,” Netanyahu stated in his speech.
“Hezbollah is no longer the same. It has been sent back dozens of years. We have killed [Hezbollah chief] Nasrallah… we have killed all senior commanders in the organisation. We have destroyed many missiles and rockets, we have destroyed the infrastructure of terror that has been built for many years near our borders,” he added.
Netanyahu cited three reasons for supporting the agreement: “focusing on the Iranian threat,” allowing Israeli forces to refresh, and separating the conflict in Lebanon from the war in Gaza. “We have turned the tables,” he said, adding, “the ground is trembling in Lebanon.”
Previous reports indicated that the ceasefire would include a 60-day period during which Israeli troops would withdraw from Lebanon, and Hezbollah fighters and weapons would be removed from south of the Litani River.
Thousands of Lebanese Army troops would be deployed, and an international committee would oversee the ceasefire’s implementation.
Under the plan, the US would lead a five-country monitoring committee, while the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) would be reinforced.
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