Netanyahu: No Cease-fire, Attacks Against Hezbollah to Continue

Facts

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated on Thursday that Israel is not seeking a temporary cease-fire with Hezbollah and will continue striking Lebanon until all of its objectives are achieved.^[1]
• This comes as the US, France, and other Western allies had sought a 21-day cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah as well as further negotiations for a deal in Gaza. Israeli and US officials are expected to meet in New York on Thursday to discuss the issue.^[2]
• Israel's bombing in Lebanon — which began on Monday — has killed over 620 people and displaced tens of thousands. In a strike in Beirut's southern suburbs on Thursday, Israel claimed it killed Hezbollah’s aerial forces commander, Muhammad Hussein Sarour, though this hasn't been confirmed by Hezbollah.^[3][4][5]
• The strike in Beirut reportedly killed two and injured 15. Lebanon's health ministry said on Thursday that an Israeli strike on a building housing workers in eastern Lebanon killed 19 Syrian refugees and one Lebanese.^[6]
• Hezbollah on Thursday fired another barrage of rockets into northern Israel. The rockets were either intercepted or fell in open areas, causing no deaths or injuries.^[7]
• Israel said on Thursday that it had secured an $8.7B aid package from the US, including $3.5B for essential wartime procurement and $5.2B for air defense systems.^[8]

Sources: ^[1]Timesofisrael (a), ^[2]Reuters (a), ^[3]Al Jazeera, ^[4]Timesofisrael (b), ^[5]ABC News, ^[6]Associated Press, ^[7]Timesofisrael (c) and ^[8]Reuters (b).

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by New York Times. Though the situation in the region continues to escalate, the US has stood firm in its role as a mediator. Israel has every right to respond to Hezbollah's daily terror attacks along its northern border. However, it is in no one's interest for tensions to explode into a wider regional war. The US will continue to work toward regional stability.
• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Jerusalem Post. The US must stop with its naive plans for 'cease-fires' that will only lead to more terror. Israel has been incredibly patient regarding the situation in the north, but after a year of daily terror attacks on Israeli civilians, Israel has been forced to deal with Hezbollah more aggressively. Israel wants peace more than anyone, but it cannot allow Hezbollah and other Iran-backed terror groups to threaten its society in such an existential way.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. It is clear that Israel is using the same strategy in Lebanon that it has used in Gaza – the forced displacement of the civilian population. The US continues in this cease-fire charade while arming Israel to the teeth, encouraging Israel to light the region on fire. The only way to end this nightmare is for the US to finally end its unilateral support for a genocidal Israeli state.
• Narrative D, as provided by Almayadeen. The attacks against Lebanon are a clear example of Israeli terrorism in the region and its disregard for human life. Hezbollah opened a support front with Israel to stand in solidarity with Gaza, which has faced a genocidal Israeli campaign. Its attacks will end when Israel withdraws from Gaza. Nonetheless, Hezbollah is ready and able to defend Lebanon from Israeli aggression.