Israel's Netanyahu says 'no ceasefire in Lebanon' despite ordering talks with Beirut

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that "there is no ceasefire in Lebanon," despite ordering the commencement of direct negotiations with Beirut.

In a video statement posted on US social media company X, Netanyahu said: "There is no ceasefire in Lebanon until security is restored to the residents of the north (the settlements), Hezbollah is disarmed, and a peace agreement is reached."

Despite the intensity of the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon, he claimed that he is working to achieve "a genuine peace from a position of strength."

"The achievements Israel made have brought about transformations in its relations with countries that were not previously within the sphere of relations," he added.

As of 2050GMT, there had been no official Lebanese response to Netanyahu's announcement.

Earlier on Thursday, Netanyahu announced in a statement that he had instructed officials to begin direct negotiations with Beirut “as soon as possible,” despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon.

The statement added that the negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing “peaceful relations” between Israel and Lebanon.

The US will host Israel-Lebanon ceasefire talks next week, a State Department official confirmed to Anadolu.

According to the US news portal Axios, a senior Israeli official said the talks are expected to begin next week.

The first meeting will reportedly take place at the State Department in Washington, with the US side led by Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa.

Israel's Ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, will represent the country, while Ambassador Nada Hamadeh-Moawad will be part of Lebanon's delegation.

Israel’s Channel 14 reported that the negotiations “will be conducted under fire,” reflecting the ongoing military escalation in southern Lebanon.

Channel 13, citing an Israeli official, said that Tel Aviv may scale down its current offensive on Lebanon “following US pressure.”

The daily Israel Hayom, citing a local official, said Netanyahu’s directive to begin talks with Lebanon aims to ease mounting international pressure on Israel.

However, Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Fayyad renewed his rejection of any direct negotiations with Israel, calling on the Lebanese government to uphold a ceasefire as a precondition before taking any further steps.

“We call on the Lebanese government to adhere to the ceasefire as a precondition before moving to any subsequent step,” Fayyad said in a statement carried by the Lebanese state news agency NNA.

He also demanded the government press for Israeli withdrawal, cessation of hostilities, and the return of displaced residents to their towns and villages.

Earlier, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that the idea of a ceasefire with Israel, followed by direct negotiations, is beginning to gain positive momentum internationally.

The Israeli army escalated airstrikes across Lebanon since Wednesday, killing at least 303 people and injuring 1,150 others despite the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

While Pakistani mediators and Tehran said the ceasefire includes Lebanon, Washington and Tel Aviv denied that.

The expanded Israeli offensive on Lebanon since March 2 has killed 1,888 people and wounded 6,092 others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

*Writing by Rasa Evrensel in Istanbul