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Hezbollah dismisses ceasefire terms as humiliating
Lebanon's Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah has flatly rejected a US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, calling the terms "futile" and "humiliating" for the country.
In a statement released on Friday, Hezbollah's deputy leader Naim Qassem declared the proposed deal unacceptable to "broad segments of the Lebanese people." The group, which was not part of the negotiations, framed the agreement as a capitulation that would advance Israel's objectives.
Ceasefire terms spark backlash in Beirut
Under the agreement, Hezbollah would be required to withdraw its fighters from southern Lebanon and halt attacks on Israel. In exchange, Israel would refrain from bombing Beirut and establish "pilot security zones" where only the Lebanese Armed Forces would be permitted to operate.
Residents in Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, voiced skepticism. Sami, a shopkeeper with 25 years in the area, told the BBC: "You cannot have a ceasefire from one side. It's all or nothing." He questioned whether recent strikes in Lebanon could be considered a truce, calling the deal a "surrender agreement."
Another local businessman, Hadi, echoed the sentiment, saying his family had seen no hope across generations. "This isn't peace-it's surrender," he said, blaming the Israeli government rather than its citizens.
Unclear implementation and ongoing violence
The agreement, finalized after a fourth round of US-mediated talks in Washington, demands the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives from a 30-kilometer zone between the Israeli border and the Litani River, currently occupied by Israeli forces. The US has pledged to assist in establishing the pilot zones, though no maps or operational details were provided.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun suggested the ceasefire could take effect within 24 hours of approval by all parties. However, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated the military would continue operations to "dismantle terrorist infrastructure" in the interim.
Lebanese media reported multiple Israeli airstrikes on Thursday, including attacks in the Bekaa Valley town of Sohmor and near Tyre, which killed at least eight people and injured 15 others, according to the health ministry.
UN peacekeeper killed as fighting persists
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) confirmed the death of a Serbian peacekeeper, Senior Sergeant Milovan Jovanovic, who succumbed to injuries sustained when mortar shells struck his position near Marjayoun on Wednesday. The Israeli military accused Hezbollah of firing the mortars, though the group has not responded.
Israel also reported the death of one of its soldiers, Captain Eitan Shmuel Lemberg, in southern Lebanon. The military added that it had intercepted several "suspicious aerial targets" in the area on Thursday afternoon, with no reported injuries.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for targeting Israeli troops and vehicles in Qantara and near Beaufort Castle using drones and rockets earlier the same day.
Broader geopolitical stakes
The conflict escalated on March 2, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike that killed Iran's supreme leader. Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon. A previous US-brokered ceasefire in April failed to halt the violence, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to order intensified strikes last week.
Since the war began, Lebanon's health ministry has recorded 3,526 deaths, without distinguishing between combatants and civilians. The UN estimates over one million people have been displaced, with Israeli evacuation orders covering more than an eighth of Lebanon's territory.
Israel reports 26 soldiers and four civilians killed on both sides of the border.
US involvement and Hezbollah's defiance
US President Donald Trump claimed progress after speaking with Netanyahu and Hezbollah, though details remain vague. "I think you're going to see things happen," he said, expressing hope for peace in Lebanon. However, Hezbollah's outright rejection underscores the group's determination to resist what it views as Israeli dominance.
Analysts suggest Lebanon's government may have hoped Hezbollah would acquiesce to the deal, but the group appears to be leveraging its resistance narrative for political advantage. As a Shia Muslim militia, political party, and social movement, Hezbollah remains Lebanon's most powerful faction, backed by Iran and designated a terrorist organization by Israel, the US, and the UK.
Further talks between Israeli and Lebanese representatives are scheduled for June 22, with the goal of reaching a "comprehensive agreement."
