Netanyahu says Israel’s 'mission' against Hezbollah not over despite ceasefire with Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that Israel’s "mission" against Hezbollah in Lebanon has not ended, despite a ceasefire that took effect earlier in the day.

“There are things we plan to do regarding the remaining rocket threat and the drone threat, which I will not detail,” Netanyahu said in a televised statement.

Addressing domestic criticism over the outcome of the northern front, Netanyahu said Israel had achieved “tremendous accomplishments.”

“For the first time, we have established a broad security buffer zone along the entire northern border,” he said, adding that the zone stretches from Lebanon across the Golan Heights to Mount Hermon (Jabal al-Sheikh) and the Yarmouk area in southern Syria.

He said the buffer, which he referred to as the “Yellow Line,” is intended to eliminate the threat of direct incursions and tank fire, noting that Israeli forces are deployed along the line to counter any immediate threats.

Netanyahu also said the ceasefire was agreed upon at the request of US President Donald Trump.

“At his request, we agreed to a temporary ceasefire in Lebanon to allow an opportunity for a combined diplomatic and military solution with the Lebanese government,” he said.

US President Donald Trump said Friday that Washington is actively prohibiting Israel from carrying out additional attacks on Lebanon as a nascent ceasefire takes hold.

Trump announced Thursday a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon starting at midnight local time in Tel Aviv and Beirut.

The death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2 has reached 2,294, with 7,544 people injured, Lebanon’s Ministry of Health said Friday.

*Writing by Rania Abushamala in Istanbul.