Israel’s Ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, on Friday reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to a ceasefire in Lebanon.
In a post on social media, Leiter also stated that relations between Israel and Lebanon will only be possible once the Hezbollah terrorist organization is eliminated.
“Israel remains firmly committed to an immediate ceasefire. At 11:30 this morning, Israel halted all offensive operations; Hezbollah and Iranian claims to the contrary are bold lies," wrote Leiter.
“If Hezbollah honors the agreement and ceases its hostilities, they will be met with quiet," he stressed.
“Israel wants our neighbor to the north, Lebanon, with which we have relations dating back to King Solomon and King Hiram, to prosper and enjoy democratic freedoms, and like any normal country will never compromise on our security. This will only happen when Hezbollah, a murderous Iranian proxy, is destroyed," stated Leiter.
“The end of Hezbollah will mark the beginning of a beautiful peace between our two countries."
“Israel is in the security zone in southern Lebanon to rid the area of Hezbollah and dismantle its terror infrastructure. We will remain there until that mission is accomplished," Leiter stressed.
“The people of Lebanon deserve a future free from Hezbollah's grip, and a real, genuine peace between our two countries remains possible," the Ambassador concluded.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier on Friday that he instructed the IDF to strike Hezbollah “with force" following the deaths of four soldiers from Hezbollah fire.
However, a senior US official later told Reuters that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to a ceasefire which took effect at 4:00 p.m. local time.
(Arutz Sheva-Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)