Israel reiterated on Thursday its determination to target Hezbollah and called for the evacuation of southern Beirut’s suburbs following deadly strikes on the neighboring country, despite numerous calls to include Lebanon in the ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday, April 9th, that he has ordered his cabinet to engage in “direct negotiations” with Lebanon “as soon as possible,” focusing on the disarming of the Islamist movement Hezbollah.
“Following Lebanon’s requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed the cabinet yesterday (Wednesday) to engage in direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible,” said Benjamin Netanyahu, as quoted by his office.
“The negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon,” he added.
Over 200 killed in Wednesday’s strikes
Despite the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, Israel, after its deadly strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday, expressed its determination to continue targeting Hezbollah.
The strikes in Lebanon on Wednesday, which resulted in more than 200 deaths, demonstrate Israel’s “non-compliance with commitments,” rendering negotiations senseless, said Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian.
The Israeli army has once again urged residents of several neighborhoods in southern Beirut to evacuate, warning of new strikes against the Islamist movement Hezbollah, ally of Tehran, following the deadly bombings.
According to Hezbollah, its fighters are engaged in direct clashes with Israeli forces in Bint Jbeil, in southern Lebanon, five kilometers from the border with Israel, where the Shiite movement had repelled them in 2006 after a fierce battle.
