Lebanon peace deal hopes fade as Israel steps up attacks on Hezbollah

Israel's military said it was carrying out new strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, despite the U.S., EU and Arab states proposing a 21-day ceasefire to halt the deadly fighting.

Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz stated there would be no temporary peace deal, vowing they would "continue to fight against the Hezbollah terrorist organization with all our strength until victory and the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes."

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who left Israel on Thursday to address the UN in New York, issued a statement saying he had ordered the military to keep fighting with full force.

It will be a huge disappointment for those desperate to ease tensions in the region. The U.S. and France, backed by other allies, called on Wednesday for a 21-day ceasefire across the Israel-Lebanon border, while also expressing support for a ceasefire in Gaza following intense discussions at the United Nations in New York.

They called on Israel, the Iran-backed Hezbollah, and Lebanon to adhere to a settlement based on the UNSC Resolution 1701 that set out the ceasefire terms for the Second Lebanon War in 2006.

This step would necessitate Hezbollah pulling out of the area of southern Lebanon near the Israeli border and moving back to the Litani River. Hezbollah has long violated that resolution.

The US, France, and the additional ten countries also called for the implementation of the May 31 Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal that was endured by the UNSC under Resolution 2735.

The allies that signed the joint statement included United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, the EU and Australia.

The appeal for the three-week ceasefire came hours after Israeli military chief, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, on Wednesday told soldiers to prepare for a possible ground offensive against Iran-backed Hezbollah, raising fears the conflict could spark a wider Middle East war.

Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a key member of the cabinet, opposed the ceasefire proposal, insisting that continuing the war against Hezbollah was the only way forward.

Smotrich said: "The enemy must not be given time to recover from the heavy blows it has suffered and reorganize itself to continue the war after 21 days."

Cross-border clashes have intensified after Israeli raids on Monday killed at least 558 people in the deadliest day of violence in Lebanon since its 1975-90 civil war. The UN's International Organization for Migration said 90,000 people had been displaced in Lebanon so far this week.

The Israeli military said it had hit more than 2,000 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon over three days.

At the start of the emergency meeting on the crisis with the UN Security Council, UN chief Antonio Guterres warned: "Hell is breaking loose in Lebanon."

The relentless fighting has led some neighboring countries to worry about the safety of their citizens living in Lebanon. Turkiye is making preparations for the possible evacuation of its citizens and foreign nationals.

China also want a de-escalation. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said: "China calls on relevant parties to take measures immediately to cool down the situation, prevent further escalation of regional tensions, uphold peace and stability in the Middle East, and protect the safety of the people there. China stands ready to work with the international community towards this end."

Meanwhile in Gaza, Israeli forces have continued to battle Hamas-led militants with Palestinian health officials claiming military strikes across the enclave had killed at least 17 Palestinians overnight.

Qatar, a mediator in the Gaza war, believes there is no specific connections between talks for a truce in Gaza and an international push for an immediate ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.

"I'm not aware of a direct link, but obviously both mediations are hugely overlapping when you are talking about the same parties, for the most part, that are taking part," foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said.

Ansari said Qatar was "working with our partners" to ensure "an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon" and "on the other track, the talks about Gaza, we continue with our efforts."

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