Israel-Hezbollah Agree to Halt Fighting, Yet Conflict Continues | World DNA

[00:00:01]Israel and Hezbollah have agreed for a ceasefire after deadly exchanges between the two sides in Lebanon. Once again, put a deal to end the West Asia war under strain less than two days after it was signed. And this comes as two people were killed in Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon despite the ceasefire in place. Lebanese authorities have reported at least 47 people were killed in Israeli air strikes while Israel announced the deaths of four of its soldiers.

[00:00:31]The highest combined casualty count since the US and Iran struck their deal.

[00:00:36]In the meantime, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun held a call. The Lebanese presidency said Aoun thanked Rubio for US support but stressed the need for Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory to seize through the achievement of a comprehensive ceasefire. Rubio, on the other hand, insisted on the importance of Lebanon carrying through on its efforts to disarm the Hezbollah, which is fighting Israel in the south of the country.

[00:01:04]According to a State Department official, Rubio and Aoun discussed the next round of negotiations scheduled for 23rd of June to 25th in Washington, where the two governments will make progress towards a lasting peace.

[00:01:18]Israel's ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Lito, insisted in a social media post that Israel was committed to an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, but only if Hezbollah, and I'm quoting here, honors the agreement and ceases its hostilities. Israeli citizens have also voiced skepticism about the ceasefire currently in place between both the sides.

[00:01:44]>> This There is no ceasefire. To call this situation a ceasefire is just fooling people. It's showing you a small picture of a broader picture because just today we we informed that four soldiers who went out to defend their country, to defend their people, were killed in the war.

[00:02:05]Just just like that, because there was a a drone full of explosive material that just bombed the tank that they were in.

[00:02:14]>> The US-Iran peace deal signed this week is also meant to halt the fighting in Lebanon, which Iran has always insisted should be covered under any accord, turning Israel's ongoing campaign there into a source of frustration for Washington. Displaced Lebanese in the south say they are sheltering in a school in Sidon after daily Israeli air strikes on Lebanon on southern Lebanon.

[00:02:39]>> The situation is unbearable. People have been in this situation for 4 months, and before that too, for 2 months and 66 days. People have been crushed. They don't even know how they're supposed to live. Thanks to this school, they are helping us in every way they can.

[00:02:55]>> Amidst these developments, a report by The Washington Post has cited a US intelligence assessment suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is unlikely to halt military operations in Lebanon. The report suggested that Netanyahu was due to take steps that would undermine Trump's peace efforts with Iran. Despite this, Trump has praised his relationship with Israeli Prime Minister.

[00:03:23]>> And obviously we worked very well with Israel.

[00:03:27]And we've had a great relationship with Israel. We were very formidable.

[00:03:32]And Bibi Netanyahu is a warrior Prime Minister.

[00:03:36]And he should be acknowledged as that.

[00:03:38]He should They should give him credit.

[00:03:40]Because he really did he We had a a very good relationship, General, with all of them, but we really fought hard with Israel.

[00:03:49]>> Meanwhile, Iran's head of National Security Council, Abraham Azizi, has however mentioned clause one of the peace deal, doubting the US ability to defend it. Azizi said, "Continued violation of the ceasefire will cost US dearly, and that Iran will mount a different response deterrent response."

[00:04:10]Now, WION's Ghadi Francis has sent this report this ground report from Beirut suburb in Lebanon. Let's have a look at that.

[00:04:18]>> It has cost billions of dollars on all parties and all sides, but still everybody is awaiting what might happen if a US-Iran deal is in action in Lebanon. Now, the news is that Lebanon is a main bullet point on this agreement. Iran says it will not agree to open the Strait of Hormuz unless Lebanon's war front is in peace. But, the operations are not stopping. Israel is disregarding all that, and it's continuing its missions in South Lebanon. In the recent it strike Nabatieh, it strike Baalbek, and it strike several other areas in South Lebanon. And, in the past week only, many civilian homes were destroyed, and tens of Lebanese were martyred. In the times of a ceasefire in the past week, according to reports, it has reached more than 150 people killed in Lebanon.

[00:05:13]Now, this is why there is no agreement, according to Iran, unless this stops in Lebanon, there won't be an agreement. I am Ghadi Francis reporting for WION, World is One.