Lebanon responds to US ceasefire proposal while Israel strikes downtown Beirut

Lebanon and the militant group Hezbollah have agreed to a US-proposed ceasefire, adding some comments on its content.

A senior Lebanese official shared the information with foreign media and described this as the most serious attempt yet to end weeks of fighting and ongoing Israeli airstrikes, Caliber.Az reports.

An Israeli airstrike on November 18 killed five people in central Beirut, Lebanon’s health ministry reported. This was the second consecutive day Israel targeted locations within the capital as it continued its offensive against the Iran-backed group. The strike occurred in the crowded Zuqaq al-Blat neighborhood, near the government district of central Beirut. The health ministry also noted that two people were reported missing and 31 others were injured.

Over the past week, Israel has escalated its bombardment in and around Beirut. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has continued firing missiles into Israel, even as US-led diplomatic efforts have advanced. A diplomat involved in the negotiations warned that some details still needed to be finalized, which could delay a conclusive agreement. US envoy Amos Hochstein is expected to visit Beirut soon, according to a US source.

Since late September, Israel has delivered significant blows to Hezbollah, including the killing of its leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Israeli strikes have affected wide areas of Lebanon, and ground troops have been deployed into southern Lebanon. On the evening of November 18, rocket sirens sounded throughout Tel Aviv and central Israel. The Israeli military reported that shrapnel from an intercepted missile struck a major road in a Tel Aviv suburb, injuring six people, one of whom — a 54-year-old woman — was in serious condition.

In a statement, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a drone attack targeting "sensitive military sites" in Tel Aviv. Earlier, an Israeli woman was killed when a rocket struck a building in Shfaram, a northern city. The Israeli military said five projectiles had been launched from Lebanon.

Israel’s air campaign, initiated in September, has largely focused on Hezbollah strongholds in the southern suburbs of Beirut. However, on November 17, Israel conducted strikes within Beirut city limits for the first time in over five weeks, killing 10 people, including Hezbollah’s top media official.

Israel launched its offensive following nearly a year of cross-border clashes with Hezbollah. The stated aim is to neutralize Hezbollah’s capabilities and facilitate the return of tens of thousands of Israelis who fled the northern regions. Hezbollah, in turn, has been launching rockets at Israel in support of its ally Hamas since the Gaza conflict began over a year ago. The Israeli campaign has displaced over one million people in Lebanon over the past two months.

International powers have insisted that any ceasefire must be based on UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. The resolution requires Hezbollah to move its weapons and fighters north of the Litani River, roughly 30 kilometers from the Israeli border. Hochstein, who has led multiple rounds of ceasefire negotiations over the past year without success, expressed optimism last week about reaching an agreement.

Ali Hassan Khalil, an advisor to Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, confirmed that Lebanon had delivered its written response to the US ambassador on November 18. Hezbollah, heavily backed by Iran, has endorsed Berri to negotiate on its behalf.

"All the comments that we presented affirm the precise adherence to (UN) Resolution 1701 with all its provisions," Khalil stated, adding that the success of the ceasefire proposal depended on Israel’s willingness to reach a solution. He warned that Israel could still create numerous obstacles if it opposed the agreement.

Meanwhile, European Union foreign ministers met in Brussels but failed to reach a consensus on suspending political dialogue with Israel over its military actions in Gaza.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski commented, “We know that tragic events are taking place in Gaza, there are huge civilian casualties. (...) And I can say that there was no agreement on the idea of suspending negotiations with Israel.”

By Tamilla Hasanova