Israeli minister says military operations in Lebanon will continue despite ceasefire

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Thursday that military operations in Lebanon would continue, defying a proposed ceasefire. The pro-Iran Hizbullah movement rejected the ceasefire, with leader Naim Qassem insisting ‘resistance will continue,’ while Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had stated the truce would take effect within 24 hours of all parties’ approval. Israel’s strikes in southern Lebanon persisted, contradicting U.S. efforts led by Donald Trump to halt fighting as part of broader peace negotiations with Iran. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, which established Hizbullah in 1982, demanded Israel withdraw to pre-war positions and stop attacks as a precondition for a ceasefire. A statement from the Guards emphasized that Iran’s ‘minimum demand’ was Israel’s full retreat behind international borders. Hostilities between Hizbullah and Israel resumed on March 2 after the group fired in support of Iran amid U.S.-Israeli strikes, despite multiple ceasefire attempts since April. Regional tensions flared further as Iranian forces struck Kuwait’s airport, injuring dozens, while the U.S. military conducted retaliatory strikes near the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait, crucial for global oil supplies, remains closed over three months after U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran. Oil prices dropped by 3% on hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough, though Iran’s demands include sanctions relief, oil revenue access, and control over the Strait. Trump has prioritized preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, while Iran insists its atomic program is peaceful. The UN nuclear watchdog released a report reiterating concerns, though details were not specified. The latest ceasefire push follows a fragile truce between Iran and the U.S., with both sides signaling progress toward a tentative agreement to end the war and reopen the Strait.