Hezbollah has rejected a newly proposed ceasefire agreement aimed at ending months of fighting in Lebanon, insisting that any deal must include a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory.
The group’s position was announced Thursday as fresh Israeli strikes reportedly killed at least four people and a United Nations peacekeeper lost his life in crossfire, underscoring the fragile security situation despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
In a televised statement, Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem dismissed the proposed agreement, arguing that demands for the group’s fighters to leave southern Lebanon while Israeli military operations continue would amount to surrender.
“Our priority is ending the aggression, securing a ceasefire and ensuring Israel’s withdrawal,” Kassem said, stressing that Hezbollah had made no commitment to halt its military activities under the current proposal.
He also described the negotiations as “humiliating” and accused the agreement’s backers of attempting to achieve politically what Israel had failed to accomplish on the battlefield.
The latest setback threatens broader efforts to ease tensions across the region, particularly as international mediators seek to end the wider conflict involving Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy route whose disruption has rattled world markets.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that military operations will continue until Hezbollah no longer poses a threat to northern Israel, while Iran has repeatedly insisted that any lasting regional agreement must also address the conflict in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, a Serbian peacekeeper serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was killed and two others wounded after a mortar struck their position near the southern town of Marjayoun. It remains unclear which side fired the round.
Lebanon’s state news agency reported additional casualties from drone and air strikes in several areas, including the Bekaa Valley and southern villages near the Israeli border.
Despite multiple ceasefire announcements in recent months, violence has persisted. Residents in southern Lebanon expressed growing frustration, saying previous agreements have failed to deliver lasting peace.
“Every few days a ceasefire is announced, but people keep getting killed,” one resident said.
The latest ceasefire proposal emerged from US-backed talks between Israel and the Lebanese government. The plan calls for the Lebanese army to assume control of designated security zones and restrict militant activity in those areas.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun described the proposal as a final opportunity to secure a comprehensive ceasefire, but acknowledged that its success depends on the response of key Lebanese factions, including Hezbollah.
With both sides maintaining firm positions and fighting continuing on the ground, hopes for an immediate breakthrough remain uncertain.
