JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his cabinet to initiate direct negotiations with the Lebanese government, even as he intensified military operations against Hezbollah, declaring that no ceasefire exists on the northern front.
The move comes amid a chaotic diplomatic landscape. While a U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement took effect Wednesday to pause the broader regional war, its application to Lebanon has become a flashpoint of international dispute.
“No Ceasefire” in the North
In a defiant cabinet meeting on Thursday, Netanyahu moved to separate the burgeoning diplomatic track from the ongoing military campaign.
“There is no ceasefire in Lebanon,” Netanyahu told ministers. “We will continue to strike Hezbollah with force until our goals are met and our residents can safely return to the north.”
The Prime Minister’s comments were punctuated by a massive wave of Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) airstrikes across Lebanon. Dubbed “Operation Eternal Darkness,” the strikes hit over 100 targets in a ten-minute window on Wednesday and continued into Thursday. The Lebanese Health Ministry reports that over 300 people have been killed in the last 24 hours—one of the deadliest periods in the 2026 conflict.
Diplomatic Overtures Amid Smoke
Despite the escalation, Netanyahu’s office confirmed he has tasked Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., to lead direct negotiations with Beirut. The talks aim to achieve two primary goals: the disarmament of Hezbollah and the establishment of formal “peace relations” between the two neighbors.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam appeared to reciprocate the diplomatic opening by instructing Lebanese security forces to ensure that weapons in Beirut are “exclusively in the hands of state institutions”—a direct challenge to Hezbollah’s military autonomy.
Tehran and Washington at Odds
The conflict has exposed a deep rift in the interpretation of the U.S.-Iran truce brokered by Pakistan.
- Iran: President Abbas Araghchi called the Israeli strikes a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire, insisting that Lebanon was included in the two-week pause. In retaliation, Tehran briefly closed the Strait of Hormuz, demanding an immediate halt to the “aggression against dear Lebanon.”
- The United States: President Donald Trump supported the Israeli position, telling reporters that Hezbollah was “not included in the deal.” He added, “That’ll get taken care of too.”
Chaos in Beirut
On the ground, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating rapidly. On Thursday morning, the IDF issued urgent evacuation orders for eight districts in southern Beirut, including Haret Hreik and Burj al-Barajneh.
“The situation is total chaos,” said Dr. Tania Baban, a humanitarian director in Beirut. “Strikes are hitting central areas with almost no warning. The hospitals are completely overwhelmed.”
As the first direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in decades loom, the “two-week pause” intended to cool the Middle East appears to be holding everywhere except where the bombs are falling.
Timeline of the 2026 Conflict
- Feb 28: War breaks out between Washington/Tel Aviv and Tehran.
- March 2: Israel launches a major ground and air offensive in Lebanon.
- April 8: U.S. and Iran announce a two-week ceasefire; Israel launches “Operation Eternal Darkness.”
- April 9: Netanyahu orders cabinet to begin direct peace talks with Beirut.
