Hezbollah refuses ceasefire discussions as Israel intensifies strikes in Lebanon Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem declared that holding talks with Israel while attacks continue would be equal to “accepting defeat”, as the Iran-supported movement carried out fresh operations and Israel announced it was widening a so-called security buffer inside Lebanese territory. Israel, which maintained control over southern Lebanon for nearly twenty years before withdrawing in 2000, has continued air raids on its northern neighbor and deployed ground forces to secure a zone stretching toward the Litani River, roughly 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the frontier. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the army had already established what he described as a real security zone and was in the process of enlarging it further, advancing deeper into Lebanon. According to Netanyahu, the objective is to build a wider defensive area that could stop potential ground incursions into Israel and reduce the threat of missile strikes. The remarks were delivered in a video released by his office. Meanwhile, Hezbollah released numerous statements reporting attacks against Israeli troops, adding that missiles were fired early Thursday toward military installations in central Israel, triggering air-raid alarms in several locations. Israeli news outlets reported that six rockets aimed at central regions were successfully intercepted before impact. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both parties to halt hostilities, warning Israel against repeating what he described as the “Gaza model” in southern Lebanon, a scenario that could lead to large-scale civilian displacement if carried out. Hezbollah announced that its fighters conducted more than eighty operations on Wednesday, the highest number recorded in a single day during the ongoing conflict, and said Israeli positions in nine border communities were targeted. The Israeli military confirmed that one soldier was seriously injured by rocket fire in southern Lebanon and another was wounded by a mortar explosion. Earlier reports also mentioned an officer sustaining minor injuries during clashes. Rockets launched toward the Haifa region in northern Israel caused no casualties, according to officials. Lebanon became directly involved in the regional conflict when Hezbollah began launching rockets into Israel on March 2, saying the action was retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In an effort to stop the violence, Lebanon’s president has proposed rare direct negotiations with Israel, although Israeli authorities have so far rejected the suggestion. Qassem insisted that his group would not accept talks under military pressure, stating that negotiations while attacks continue would be considered forced surrender. Health workers among those killed Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire across several southern locations on Wednesday. The health ministry said at least eight people died in those attacks. The agency also confirmed a strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut, an area known to be a Hezbollah stronghold. Israel’s military said the strike targeted what it described as a command center after issuing a renewed evacuation notice for the area. Witnesses reported streets covered with debris, broken concrete and twisted metal following the early-morning explosion, while upper floors of a residential building appeared heavily damaged. The neighborhood has been hit repeatedly since the start of the conflict and most residents have already fled the area. In southern Lebanon, Israeli forces said ground troops destroyed a weapons storage site and that the air force eliminated several militants during operations. Hezbollah stated that its fighters struck Israeli units gathered near the border towns of Naqura and Qawzah and launched more than one hundred rockets at positions across the frontier on Wednesday. Lebanon’s health ministry reported that forty-two medical workers are among more than one thousand people killed in the country during over three weeks of Israeli bombardment. Officials in Lebanon say the fighting has forced more than one million people to leave their homes, creating one of the largest displacement crises in recent years.
U.S. President Donald Trump sharply criticized the NATO alliance on Friday, calling its member nations “cowards” over their stance on Iran, while new reports indicated that additional U.S. Marines are being sent to the Middle East, raising speculation about a potential ground operation nearly three weeks after the conflict began. According to officials, one possible strategic objective for the deployment could be Iran’s Kharg Island, a crucial oil export terminal. The White House stated that the United States has the capability to strike the facility at any moment should the president authorize such action. Reports from Axios suggested that the administration is reviewing options that include a blockade or direct occupation of the island as a way to pressure Tehran into reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route for energy supplies. Trump intensified his criticism of the NATO military alliance, accusing member countries of failing to support his request for assistance in protecting the narrow maritime passage, which he says is partly responsible for the recent rise in global oil prices. Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that NATO countries could easily assist without facing significant danger, but chose not to do so. He accused the alliance of refusing to participate in what he described as an effort to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear-armed power, adding that without the United States, NATO would lack real strength. Several major nations — including Britain, France, Germany, and Japan, whose prime minister met Trump at the White House on Thursday — have said they are willing to support appropriate international efforts, but none have formally committed to military involvement. Despite the tensions, Trump insisted that the joint U.S.–Israeli military campaign is progressing successfully. Speaking during an event at the White House where he presented a trophy to naval cadets, he said the operation was going extremely well and claimed the situation was not even competitive. He also stated that communication with Iran has become difficult following the deaths of several top officials, including the country’s former supreme leader, leaving few leaders available for negotiations. Rising oil prices have increased political pressure on the administration to bring the conflict to a close, as some Republicans fear that economic instability could negatively affect the party in the upcoming U.S. midterm elections. The Wall Street Journal reported that between 2,200 and 2,500 Marines from the California-based USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit are being positioned in the region. When asked about the report, the Marine Corps confirmed that both units are currently deployed at sea, while the U.S. Third Fleet described the activities as routine operations. Earlier reports also indicated that another group of approximately 2,500 Marines had already been sent to the Middle East aboard several naval vessels. Military analysts say Kharg Island could be a major target because it handles most of Iran’s crude oil exports. White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly stated that the U.S. military has the ability to destroy the facility at any time if ordered by the president. She explained that the administration had prepared for multiple scenarios involving Iran and anticipated possible attempts to disrupt the free flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz. According to her statement, U.S. forces have already taken action against more than 40 vessels believed to be involved in mine-laying operations. U.S. forces reportedly carried out strikes on Kharg Island on Friday, and Trump later said the attacks completely destroyed all military targets located there. Although the president previously said the United States had avoided damaging the island’s oil infrastructure, he warned that such action could be taken if Iran continues to interfere with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
