Israel cease-fire plan for Lebanon seeks to bypass UN, as US mediators travel to Jerusalem for talks

JERUSALEM - President Biden’s apical Middle East advisers are scrambling to mediate a impermanent cease-fire woody betwixt Israel and nan Lebanon-based violent activity Hezbollah that would dislodge nan reportedly ineffective U.N. mission.

The arguable United Nations Interim Force successful Lebanon (UNIFIL) was tasked by a U.S.-backed U.N. Security Council solution pinch aiding nan Lebanese service pursuing nan 2006 warfare betwixt Hezbollah and Israel, pinch a extremity toward disarming nan Iran-backed violent organization. 

On Wednesday, Reuters reported that a personification briefed connected nan talks and a elder diplomat moving connected Lebanon said nan two-month play would beryllium utilized to finalize afloat implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted successful 2006 to support confederate Lebanon free of arms extracurricular authorities control.

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The IDF says its "soldiers are continuing to behaviour limited, localized, targeted raids successful confederate Lebanon, eliminating Hezbollah terrorists and dismantling panic infrastructure and weapons stockpiles some supra and beneath ground." (IDF Spokesman's Unit)

U.S. statesmanlike advisers Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk are slated to get successful Israel connected Thursday successful an effort to seal nan impermanent cease-fire deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a information consultation gathering connected Tuesday pinch cardinal defense members of his management and discussed nan elements of a semipermanent woody to extremity Hezbollah, according to Israel’s Channel 12. 

Amit Segal, main governmental expert of Channel 12, told Fox News Digital, "The extremity of nan warfare successful Lebanon, pinch an statement that allows Israel to respond pinch occurrence to immoderate violation, is simply a clear triumph aft a twelvemonth of fighting and fundamentally changes nan situation. This is why Hezbollah is still hesitant, and nan expanding subject unit is intended to person them."

Segal said nan imaginable woody involves Israeli enforcement of Resolution 1701 pinch nan Lebanese service alternatively of nan arguable UNIFIL mission.

Members of nan United Nations Interim Force successful Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol nan separator area betwixt Lebanon and Israel connected Oct. 13, 2023. (Joseph Eid/AFP via Getty Images)

Israeli media reported Naim Qassem, nan caller Hezbollah leader, pledged connected Wednesday successful a nationalist reside that the "work program" of Hassan Nasrallah will continue, including its warfare against nan Jewish state. Nasrallah was killed past period successful an Israeli strike. Qassem went connected to declare Hezbollah is facing "American, European and world warfare to put an extremity to our resistance." 

He besides said Hezbollah was not pushing for a cease-fire. "If nan force wants to stop, we will judge position that are suitable to us. Any solution will beryllium done negotiations," nan Hezbollah panic leader added. 

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Qassem helped co-found Hezbollah, which launched termination bombings against U.S. negotiated and subject unit successful 1983. The bombing of nan U.S. embassy successful Beirut killed 63 people, and Hezbollah besides murdered 241 group astatine nan U.S. Marine barracks successful nan Lebanese capital.

After Hezbollah announced Qassem’s arsenic its caller leader, IDF Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated connected X that it would beryllium a "temporary appointment" and "not for long."

New Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem pictured during a speech. (Al Manar TV/Reuters)

The Iran regime-backed Hezbollah activity – nan de facto ruler complete Lebanon, according to nan Mideast master Walid Phares – has suffered terrible operational defeats, including Israel’s targeted assassination of its semipermanent leader Nasrallah successful Beirut.

The IDF announced connected Wednesday that a subject onslaught eliminated Mustafa Ahmad Shahadi, lawman commandant of Hezbollah's Radwan Forces successful nan area of Nabatieh. According to nan IDF, "Shahadi precocious galore panic attacks against nan State of Israel. His targeting is portion of nan effort to degrade Hezbollah’s Radwan Forces' capabilities to nonstop and execute panic activities against IDF troops and communities successful nan bluish border, successful peculiar nan ‘Conquer nan Galilee’ plan."

Mourners chant slogans during nan ceremonial convoy of Hezbollah fighters who were killed successful an Israeli strike, successful nan confederate suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

With hundreds of rockets still being launched against Israel by Hezbollah, Gallant said connected Tuesday, "I estimate nan remaining capacity of nan missiles and rockets to beryllium successful nan bid of 20%, and besides it is not organized successful nan measurement that it utilized to beryllium organized, successful a measurement that [Hezbollah] could occurrence [large] volleys."

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IDF troops conflict Hezbollah terrorists successful confederate Lebanon. (IDF Spokesman's Unit.)

The IDF has urged UNIFIL troops to retreat from southbound Lebanon. However, UNIFIL declined to relocate its unit from nan warfare zone.

Hezbollah terrorists endangered UNIFIL unit connected Tuesday, pinch a UNIFIL spokesperson seemingly avoiding condemnation of nan onslaught by saying, "A rocket deed UNIFIL’s office successful Naqoura, mounting a conveyance shop connected fire. While immoderate peacekeepers suffered insignificant injuries, fortunately nary 1 was earnestly injured. The rocket was fired from northbound of UNIFIL's headquarters, apt by Hezbollah aliases an affiliated group. We have opened an investigation into nan incident."

Fox News approached UNIFIL spokeswoman Kandice Ardiel astir an Israel Hayom media study that Hezbollah bribed UNIFIL unit to utilization their positions against Israel. Ardiel, said, "I would return anonymous stories pinch a atom of salt. Peacekeeping is challenging work, peculiarly successful nan area successful which UNIFIL operates. Peacekeepers are impartial, though that has not stopped some sides from accusing america of supporting aliases spying for nan other. Nonetheless, we will analyse immoderate allegation based connected reliable evidence."

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The IDF said its troops located a Hezbollah underground bid center, including violent infrastructure reaching a extent of astir 8 meters, which was destroyed. (IDF Spokesman's Unit)

Lt. Col. Sarit Zehavi, president and laminitis of nan Israel-based Alma Research and Education Center, told Fox News Digital that "UNIFIL really enabled Hezbollah to build its subject infrastructures not only successful backstage territories but besides in the unfastened areas betwixt nan towns and villages." She said Hezbollah excavated tunnels successful these areas. Alma tracks Hezbollah activity successful confederate Lebanon.

The IDF announced connected Wednesday that it destroyed a Hezbollah "underground bid halfway and a 2nd tract containing half a ton of explosives."