Netanyahu Says He Has Not Responded to US-Backed Truce Proposal for Lebanon

AFP/APP

Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday that his government has not responded to a proposal by the United States and its allies for a 21-day ceasefire in Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hezbollah.

“It is an American-French proposal, which the prime minister has not even responded to,” said a statement from Netanyahu’s office, adding that he had ordered the Israeli army “to continue the fighting with full force.”

In a separate statement, the Israeli military confirmed that a tank brigade conducted an exercise “a few kilometers from the Lebanese border… in thicketed, mountainous terrain” on Thursday morning.

“During the exercise, the troops enhanced their operational and logistical readiness for various combat scenarios in enemy territory on the northern front,” the statement added.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant also affirmed the government’s intent to keep striking Hezbollah. “We will continue throwing Hezbollah off balance and deepening their loss,” Gallant said in a statement issued by his office.