Lebanese PM Naftali Salam Blames Hezbollah and Iran for Ongoing Fighting

Lebanese Prime Minister Naftali Salam sharply criticized Hezbollah and Iran's Revolutionary Guards in a rare interview with Lebanese network LBCI. Salam emphasized that the parties responsible for the ongoing hostilities must cease fire, stating, "Hezbollah and the Revolutionary Guards need to stop the fighting, not me." This marks an uncommon public rebuke of the Iran-backed Shiite group by a senior Lebanese official.

Regarding the recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, Salam welcomed the deal and said he was the first to endorse the initiative. However, he addressed misconceptions among the Lebanese public about the terms, clarifying that expectations of a rapid Israeli withdrawal within 60 days were not part of the agreement's text.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel's military achievements against Hezbollah, highlighting that the group’s arsenal has been reduced from 150,000 rockets to about 8%. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continue operations in southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah infrastructure, including recent airstrikes on three Hezbollah command centers in the Nabatieh and Mayfadoun areas, responding to attacks on Israeli forces in the security zone. Netanyahu also recently visited Lebanon to underscore these military successes.