Israel Rejects Ceasefire With Lebanon's Hezbollah

Israeli Army/PHOTO ILLUSTRATION via Instagram @idf

JAKARTA - Israeli Foreign Minister Katz rejected the ceasefire proposal with Hezbollah after the United States and France called for an end to the war in 21 days.

"There will be no ceasefire in the northern region. We will continue to fight against terrorist organization Hezbollah with all our strength until victory and citizens of the northern region return safely to their homes," Katz said in a statement on X.

The statement dashed hopes for a swift peaceful settlement, after Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed hope the ceasefire could be reached soon.

The toughest fighting in nearly two decades between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group has raised fears of a new Israeli ground attack on the Lebanese-Israeli border.

Hezbollah has faced the Israeli military since the Shiite Muslim movement was created by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in 1982 to fight Israel's invasion of Lebanon. Since then, Iran has grown into Tehran's most powerful proxy in the Middle East.

The United States, France, and some of its allies called for an immediate 21-day ceasefire on the Israel-Lebanon border and also expressed support for a ceasefire in Gaza following intensive discussions at the United Nations on Wednesday, September 25.