Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Thursday that Israel will continue its powerful strikes against Hezbollah until residents of northern Israel can return home safely.
His remarks were made to reporters upon his arrival in the United States, just before his speech at the United Nations General Assembly.
Both The Times of Israel and Channel 12 reported that Israel and Lebanon had privately expressed support for a 21-day ceasefire through intermediaries before it would be publicly announced in a joint statement led by the United States and France.
However, Netanyahu’s office dismissed these reports, stating that the prime minister had directed the Israeli military to continue fighting at full force according to the plan presented to him.
A senior Western diplomat told The Times of Israel that Netanyahu’s public stance mirrors his approach to Gaza negotiations, where he showed flexibility in private talks but issued public statements to reassure his political base, potentially jeopardizing progress in the negotiations.
