Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday that Israel would continue to strike Hezbollah with “full force” adding that there would be no ceasefire in Lebanon.
Katz was sworn in as Israel’s defence minister following the dismissal of his predecessor, Yoav Gallant, by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over disagreements regarding Israel’s military response to Hamas.
“There will be no ceasefire and there will be no respite [for Hezbollah] until the goals of the war are achieved,” Katz earlier served as the foreign minister said.
During his meeting with the Israeli military, Katz also said that Iran’s nuclear facilities are “more exposed than ever.”
During a first meeting with the IDF general staff forum, defense minister Israel Katz says that Iran’s nuclear sites are more vulnerable than ever, following Israel’s airstrikes on its air defense sites.
“Iran today is more exposed than ever to damage to its nuclear facilities. There is a possibility to achieve the most important goal, to thwart and remove the threat of annihilation from hanging over the State of Israel,” Times of Israel quoted Katz saying.
This comes after Hezbollah claimed that it had not received any ceasefire proposal’s from Israel, amid Israeli media reports that it’s cabinet had approved a ceasefire proposal.
“So far, according to my information, nothing official has reached Lebanon or us in this regard,” Mohammad Afif, the head of Hezbollah’s media office, said.
“I believe that we are still in the phase of testing the waters and presenting initial ideas and proactive discussions, but so far there is nothing actual yet,” Afif added.
Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar on Monday had said that while progress had been made in Lebanon’s ceasefire negotiations, the key challenge would be enforcing any agreements reached.
“Progress has been made,” Saar said at a press conference, “but the main challenge will lie in ensuring the enforcement of what is agreed upon.”