In brief
In a significant development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the initiation of direct talks with Lebanon to address the disarmament of Hezbollah. However, he asserted that there would be no ceasefire, despite calls from Lebanese officials. As the Israeli military continues its airstrikes in Lebanon, particularly targeting Hezbollah rocket launch sites, the situation remains tense, with significant civilian casualties and displacement reported amid ongoing violence in the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered his government to begin direct talks with Lebanon, he said in a statement on Thursday.
Netanyahu said the talks would focus on the disarmament of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese political and militant group, and establishing peaceful relations.
A US State Department official confirmed it would host a meeting next week to discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Israel and Lebanon.
Lebanese officials called for a ceasefire before the talks begin, but Netanyahu in a subsequent address to residents of northern Israel said: There is no ceasefire in Lebanon.
The Israeli military continued to strike Lebanon on Thursday - targeting what it described as Hezbollah rocket launch sites in the south. It also issued a new evacuation warning for residents in the southern suburbs of the capital, Beirut.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated on social media that areas under threat included the Jnah district, which hosts two major hospitals.
At this time, no alternative medical facilities are available to receive approximately 450 patients from the two hospitals (including 40 patients in the ICU), rendering their evacuation operationally unfeasible.
Among those being treated at the hospitals, some of the 1,150 people that Lebanon's health ministry reported as wounded in Wednesday's massive wave of Israeli strikes are included. At least 303 people were killed.
Additionally, the headquarters of the Ministry of Public Health, which hosts five shelters accommodating more than 5,000 people, is in the evacuation area.
The Israeli strikes represent the heaviest wave of violence since the conflict began, prompting concerns from Iranian officials who have stated that Israel is violating ceasefire terms and have even threatened retaliatory actions.
Lebanon's cabinet has also instructed government security forces to restrict weapons in Beirut to state institutions only, emphasizing full state authority over the governorate in light of the escalating situation.
Despite calls for a ceasefire, Netanyahu's government asserts that it appreciates Lebanon's Prime Minister's call for demilitarization but remains firm on negotiations targeting Hezbollah's disarmament.
The conflict has led to substantial civilian casualties, with reports indicating over 1,800 fatalities, including children, since hostilities escalated, and significant displacement among the Lebanese population.
