Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz denied reports of a possible ceasefire in the north of the country, saying that military operations against the Shiite Lebanese movement Hezbollah will continue until Israel wins.
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“There will be no ceasefire in the north. We will continue to fight the terrorist organization Hezbollah with all our might until victory and until the residents of the north can safely return to their homes,” the head of the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a post on his social network account.
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Earlier, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also denied reports of supposedly ongoing negotiations on a truce with Hezbollah, emphasizing that Netanyahu did not even respond to proposals from the United States and France. The prime minister also instructed the Israel Defense Forces to continue military operations in the north at full strength and in accordance with the plans presented to him.
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On Monday, the Israeli Army General Staff assigned the name “Arrows of the North” to the offensive operation that began in Lebanon. Since last week, the Israeli Air Force has been carrying out massive strikes on Hezbollah targets in different areas of Lebanon.
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Several targeted airstrikes were also recorded in Beirut, as a result of which senior Hezbollah commanders were eliminated. To date, the Israeli army has reported strikes on more than 2,000 Hezbollah targets. Observers note that Israel has not attacked Hezbollah with such intensity since the Second Lebanon War in 2006.
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More than 90 thousand people have already been forced to flee their homes in southern Lebanon due to the escalation of the conflict with Israel, according to a report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
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Hezbollah responds with rocket attacks primarily targeting northern Israel, but the range of rocket attacks has increased significantly in recent days. Every day, dozens of volleys are recorded at Israeli populated areas, during which residential buildings are hit, resulting in injuries. In particular, a missile was launched in the Tel Aviv area, which was shot down by air defense systems.
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Tensions are growing amid statements by the Israeli military about preparations for a ground operation in Lebanon.
