The IDF warned on Thursday evening that, in accordance with the situational assessment, and following the launches from Lebanese territory since this morning, additional areas across the State of Israel may come under fire in the coming hours.
The IDF emphasizes that, at this stage, the public should remain vigilant, alert, and act responsibly, while continuing to follow the Home Front Command’s instructions.
The IDF added that should there be any changes in the situational assessment, the public will be updated accordingly.
The military noted that it is prepared to operate both defensively and offensively.
Earlier on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he instructed the cabinet to hold direct negotiations with the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah and reach a peace agreement.
That being said, the Prime Minister stressed that “there is no ceasefire in Lebanon. We continue to strike Hezbollah with force, and we will not stop until we restore your security."
According to him, the goals of the negotiations are clear: “the disarmament of Hezbollah" and “a sustainable historic peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon."
Before the announcement of the negotiations, Netanyahu praised the recent strikes in Lebanon, emphasizing: "Our message is clear: We will strike anyone who acts against Israeli civilians will be targeted. We will continue to strike Hezbollah wherever necessary until full security is restored for residents of the north."
US Vice President JD Vance, who will head the talks, spoke to reporters during a visit to Budapest, explaining, "I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, and it just didn’t. We never made that promise. We never indicated that was going to be the case. What we said is that the ceasefire would be focused on Iran and the ceasefire would be focused on America’s allies."
"If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart, in a conflict where they were getting hammered, over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them, and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that’s ultimately their choice. We think that would be dumb, but that’s their choice."
On Wednesday night, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stressed that the US-Iran ceasefire agreement does not include Lebanon, and that all parties are aware of this.