Israeli Foreign Minister: 'There Will Be No Ceasefire' in Lebanon

With the possibility of an Israeli ground invasion into Lebanon to go after the militant group Hezbollah, the United States, France, and other allies proposed a 21-day ceasefire this week. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati seemed keen on the idea, but Israeli leaders—not so much. "There will be no ceasefire in the north," Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote Thursday on X, per Reuters. "We will continue to fight against the Hezbollah terrorist organization with all our strength until victory and the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes." More:

• Not biting: The Times of Israel reports that reception of the proposal has been "lukewarm" from others in Israel as well, with even opposition leader Yair Lapid offering just "milquetoast support." Lapid suggested a shorter seven-day ceasefire "in order not to allow Hezbollah to restore its command and control systems."
• Netanyahu: The office of the Israeli prime minister hasn't yet responded to the allies' proposal, but it did echo sentiments from his foreign minister. "The Prime Minister instructed the IDF to continue the fighting with full force, and according to the plans presented to him," the office said, per NBC News.

• A 'dizzying escalation': That's how the AP describes what's been happening lately between Israel and Hezbollah in their nearly yearlong conflict, citing the recent pager and walkie-talkie attacks in Lebanon and a UN stat that noted 90,000 Lebanese have been recently displaced. A state-run news agency in Lebanon reported that the latest Israeli airstrike on Thursday killed nearly two dozen Syrian refugees in the town of Younine.
• US, behind the scenes: Axios dives into the Biden administration's work toward a "pause" in fighting in Lebanon, as well as picking back up negotiations toward a ceasefire in Gaza—and the two are intertwined. "If Hamas sees that Hezbollah gives a chance for a diplomatic solution, it could encourage [Hamas] leader Yahya Sinwar to move toward a deal," one source says.
• UN chief's warning: On Wednesday, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed the UN Security Council, noting that "hell is breaking loose in Lebanon," per a release. He asked the group to "work in lockstep to help put out this fire," then added: "To all sides, let us say in one clear voice: Stop the killing and destruction. Tone down the rhetoric and threats. Step back from the brink."

(More Lebanon stories.)