The Israeli security cabinet approves a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon. The Israeli television channel Channel 12 reported this on Tuesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that he would present the draft agreement to the entire cabinet. The agreement is expected to come into force on Wednesday.
Netanyahu said in a speech that he would submit a corresponding draft to his cabinet for approval. At the same time, the head of government emphasized that they would react harshly to any possible violation of a ceasefire agreement by Hezbollah. “A good agreement is an agreement that you enforce. And we will enforce it.”
After a year of war, Hezbollah was very weakened, Netanyahu also said. “It’s not the same Hezbollah.” The pro-Iranian Shiite militia has been “set back by years.”
Netanyahu said Israel killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and the rest of the leadership and destroyed most of its missile arsenal, as well as an underground tunnel network in southern Lebanon. Regarding violent air strikes before an expected ceasefire, Netanyahu said: “The earth is shaking in Beirut.”
After ceasefire, focus on conflict with Iran
After a ceasefire, people will be able to concentrate on the conflict with Iran, he said. In addition, Israeli soldiers could recover from combat and the Israeli weapons arsenal could be renewed. With an end to the war with Hezbollah, the Islamist Hamas will be left isolated in the Gaza Strip. This could pave the way to an agreement on the release of around 100 hostages.
Israel’s military has again attacked targets in the heart of the capital Beirut and in the suburbs shortly before a possible ceasefire in Lebanon. In central Beirut, a building in the densely populated neighborhoods of Nuweiri and Ras Al Naba was bombed, eyewitnesses and security sources said. According to the Ministry of Health, at least seven people were killed and at least 37 others were injured.
