Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday dismissed a proposal by IDF senior officers for a temporary cease-fire with Hezbollah that would "create a new equation" against the Lebanese terrorist organization.
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The proposal suggests that the IDF would declare a 48-hour cease-fire. However, if Hezbollah does not reciprocate and targets civilian areas, this would lead to severe repercussions for southern Lebanon. This includes strikes on homes in Shiite villages along the border, suspected of harboring Hezbollah activities, which have been spared until now. The principle is clear: quiet will be answered with quiet, while aggression will be met with overwhelming force.
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Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and French Defense Minister Sebastien Le Cornu
(Photo: Shahar Yurman)
Gallant told his French counterpart Sebastien Le Cornu, who was visiting Israel, that "even if Hezbollah unilaterally ceases fire, Israel will not hold fire until the return of the residents of the north to their homes safely, following the change in the security situation on the border."
Meanwhile, Gallant also told Le Cornu that Israel prefers to end the confrontation with Hezbollah through a diplomatic solution and thanked France for its commitment to changing the security situation in southern Lebanon and pushing Hezbollah forces away from the border. However, he added, "We are preparing for a situation to safely return the residents, even through military means. A war in the north will be difficult for Israel but devastating for Hezbollah and Lebanon."
During their meeting, the defense minister briefed his French counterpart on the progress of the war in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that the fighting will continue until "the objectives are achieved."
Meanwhile, Lebanese newspaper Al-Diyar reported, citing sources close to Hezbollah, that the terrorist group's leader Hassan Nasrallah "explicitly informed" that it is impossible to discuss the Lebanese front separately from the Gaza war.
"This proposal is one of many others suggested by international representatives to neutralize the Lebanese front, but we explicitly informed them that there is no place for a solution in Lebanon unless there is one in Gaza," they said.
Additionally, Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that although Hezbollah is not interested in war, it is prepared to respond to any "Israeli violation," even at the cost of causing a "major war."