Israel’s new defense minister, Israel Katz, declared on Tuesday that there will be no cease-fire in Lebanon, contradicting earlier remarks by Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, who suggested progress was being made toward a settlement with Hezbollah.
The internal disagreement follows the appointment of Katz as defense minister by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after differences over Israel’s war strategy against Hamas.
Since September, Israel has intensified military actions along its northern border with Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah, as part of updated war objectives to secure the return of evacuated northern Israelis and weaken Hezbollah’s capabilities.
Katz reiterated that Israel would not halt its military offensive until its goals are achieved, including disarming Hezbollah and ensuring the safety of Israeli civilians.
Hezbollah denied receiving any ceasefire proposals from Israel, signaling their readiness for a prolonged conflict.
The fighting, which has escalated since mid-September, has resulted in over 3,240 deaths and more than 14,000 injuries, with the majority of casualties occurring since Israel’s increased military activity in Lebanon.
