Hezbollah Envoy: Ceasefire Extension Futile Without Israeli Restraint
Beirut, Lebanon – A senior envoy from the Lebanese Hezbollah movement has declared that a recent extension of the ceasefire with Israel holds little meaning as long as Israeli “hostile actions” continue. Ali Fayyad, representing Hezbollah, asserted that any unilateral acceptance of a ceasefire by Lebanon, without concrete commitments from the opposing side, is unacceptable to the resistance and cannot be sustained.
Conditions for Peace Under Scrutiny
Fayyad emphasized that the resistance reserves the right to a proportionate response to any Israeli attack or act of aggression against targets within Lebanon, regardless of its nature. He reiterated that repeated Israeli incursions have significantly weakened the practical framework of the ceasefire, posing a serious challenge to adherence.
US-Brokered Truce Faces Skepticism
The pronouncements come in the wake of an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding a three-week extension of the truce between Israel and Lebanon. This decision reportedly followed meetings at the White House with high-ranking American officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alongside U.S. ambassadors to Israel and Lebanon. President Trump described the discussions as “very productive.”
Israel and Lebanon, officially in a state of war since 1948, engaged in direct negotiations in Washington on April 14th, marking the first such talks since 1993, with the stated aim of ending the conflict. Two days after these negotiations, the United States announced a 10-day ceasefire, which followed a period resulting in the casualties of over 2,400 individuals in Lebanon and the displacement of more than one million people. Hezbollah’s latest statement casts doubt on the long-term viability of this U.S.-brokered diplomatic effort.
