SwedenLivingWorld world_2_fill WorldBusiness BusinessSports sports-soccer SportsEntertainmentEntertain

Air strikes crush hopes of ceasefire

An Israeli fighter jet attacked Hezbollah's military air chief in Beirut. The Islamist movement responded with massive rocket fire against the city of Safed – and attempts to reach a temporary ceasefire were ineffective.

» Updated: 26 September 2024, 21:48

» Published: 26 September 2024

Air strikes crush hopes of ceasefire
Photo: Hassan Ammar/AP/TT

The Israeli military (IDF) targeted a specific target in the southern part of the capital Beirut on Thursday. Both Israel and Hezbollah's armed branch confirmed that the commander of the movement's drone and air unit, Mohammed Srur – also known as Abu Saleh, had been killed in the attack.

The Lebanese Health Department added that another person had been killed and that around 15 people had been injured in the air raid.

Attack on Safed

Later in the day, Hezbollah responded by firing around 40 rockets at Israel. The target was the city of Safed with nearly 40,000 inhabitants, according to Hezbollah. The IDF confirmed the attack and said that a large part of the rockets had been stopped by Israel's air defense.

The latest attacks followed a day of intense efforts to negotiate some kind of ceasefire; the talks were held, among other places, at the UN headquarters in New York where heads of state and government gathered for the General Assembly's debate.

The US was behind a proposal to introduce a 21-day ceasefire.

The response from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was that he had not responded to the proposal.

"Full force"

"It's a proposal from the US and France, which the Prime Minister hasn't even responded to," it was stated in a communiqué from Netanyahu's office.

The message from Netanyahu was the opposite: "We will continue to fight with full force."

The White House responded late on Thursday with criticism of Netanyahu, and a spokesperson told reporters that the proposal had been "coordinated" with Israel.

Diplomatic efforts continued on Thursday. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in an appearance in London that a diplomatic solution was still possible, and that it could have a bearing on an agreement on a ceasefire in Gaza. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also raised the issue in a meeting with Israeli opposition politician Benny Gantz in Berlin.

"Hezbollah must withdraw from Lebanon's border areas; all parties have a responsibility to find a diplomatic solution" Scholz wrote on X after the meeting.

No signs in the combat zone indicated that the warring parties were listening.

The Lebanese Health Department reported that over 1,500 people had been killed in the fighting that began – albeit on a smaller scale – after the terrorist-stamped Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 last year.

The deteriorating situation in Lebanon reinforced the extensive flight, both internally in the country and out of Lebanon. Over 31,000 people have fled to neighboring Syria in the past week, including over 15,000 Syrians who had previously fled their homeland due to the civil war in Syria.

Tags
TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

New death after methanol alarm in tourist town
1 MIN READ

New death after methanol alarm in tourist town

Iran's IAEA Response: New, Stronger Centrifuges
2 MIN READ

Iran's IAEA Response: New, Stronger Centrifuges

South Korea: What North Korea gets from Russia
1 MIN READ

South Korea: What North Korea gets from Russia

At Least Two Dead in Russian Attack on Sumy
1 MIN READ

At Least Two Dead in Russian Attack on Sumy

Expert: Putin's robot attack a political marking
2 MIN READ

Expert: Putin's robot attack a political marking

Scattering Ashes at Machu Picchu – Security Tightened
1 MIN READ

Scattering Ashes at Machu Picchu – Security Tightened

Zelensky: Putin is testing you
1 MIN READ

Zelensky: Putin is testing you

Orban defies ICC - invites Netanyahu
2 MIN READ

Orban defies ICC - invites Netanyahu

Trump chooses new minister after Gaetz's resignation
2 MIN READ

Trump chooses new minister after Gaetz's resignation

Norway: Suspected spy worked at the US Embassy
1 MIN READ

Norway: Suspected spy worked at the US Embassy

Pistorius does not want to take over power from Scholz
1 MIN READ

Pistorius does not want to take over power from Scholz

40 People Killed in Attack in Pakistan
1 MIN READ

40 People Killed in Attack in Pakistan

Police Investigation: Prosecute Bolsonaro for Coup Attempt
1 MIN READ

Police Investigation: Prosecute Bolsonaro for Coup Attempt

Reports: North Korean General Injured in Ukraine
1 MIN READ

Reports: North Korean General Injured in Ukraine

Gaetz drops out after suspicions of buying sex
2 MIN READ

Gaetz drops out after suspicions of buying sex

USA imposes new sanctions on Russia
1 MIN READ

USA imposes new sanctions on Russia

Russia significantly increases defense budget
1 MIN READ

Russia significantly increases defense budget

Foreign Minister: Sweden Supports the ICC's Work
2 MIN READ

Foreign Minister: Sweden Supports the ICC's Work

Expert: ICC decision puts Germany in a difficult situation
2 MIN READ

Expert: ICC decision puts Germany in a difficult situation

ICC: Netanyahu and Gallant accused of war crimes
3 MIN READ

ICC: Netanyahu and Gallant accused of war crimes