Benjamin Netanyahu has called for negotiations with Lebanon after Israel’s intense bombardment of Beirut and other Lebanese cities drew global condemnation and threatened to undo the US-Iran ceasefire before it was even a day old.
The Israeli prime minister said the proposed talks should focus on the disarmament of Hezbollah and the establishment of “peace relations” with Lebanon. He did not, however, give any indication that the bombardment would stop, and there was no immediate sign of a pause in Israeli strikes.
The attacks have killed more than 200 people, according to the source report, and have intensified pressure on the Israeli government as international outrage grows over the scale of the violence.
Netanyahu’s comments came as the ceasefire faced one of its first major tests. Instead of signaling de-escalation, the Israeli leader pressed for a political process with Lebanon while military operations continued.
The Lebanese government had already requested a ceasefire before any talks began, underscoring the gap between the two sides. Beirut has been among the places hit hardest in the bombardment, with other Lebanese cities also coming under attack.
The developments have raised concern that the fragile truce between the United States and Iran could collapse almost as soon as it was announced. The latest strikes, combined with the lack of a clear commitment to halt them, have left the situation highly uncertain.
Netanyahu’s push for talks suggests that Israel is seeking to frame the confrontation in political terms as well as military ones. But with the bombardment continuing and Lebanon demanding an immediate ceasefire first, the prospects for negotiations remain unclear.
The situation remains fluid, with diplomacy and military action now running in parallel as pressure mounts from abroad and the risk of wider regional escalation grows.
