Israeli airstrikes kill at least 11 in Beirut as diplomats push for cease-fire
CBSNov 24
Israeli Security Cabinet Approves Lebanon Cease-fire
Above: People watch television as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces a cease-fire near Martyrs Square where people sheltered as Israel battered central Beirut with multiple airstrikes on Nov. 26, 2024 in Beirut, Lebanon. Image copyright: Ed Ram/Stringer/Getty Images Europe via Getty Images
The Facts
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced on Tuesday that the nation's security cabinet had approved a cease-fire deal in Lebanon, with the prime minister saying this would allow Israel to focus on "the Iranian threat," allow Israeli forces to rest, and isolate Hamas.
Netanyahu said that Israel would maintain "full freedom of military action," vowing to attack Hezbollah if it tried to rearm. Initial reports suggest that the deal's wording is ambiguous regarding Israel's ability to retaliate against any potential violations on Hezbollah's part. The cease-fire is expected to take effect on Wednesday.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
It is imperative that a cease-fire in Lebanon is agreed upon and properly enforced. Both sides have been willing to compromise, and US mediation has seemingly borne fruit. The US will continue to play a leading role in de-escalating this terrible regional conflict and ensuring that the Lebanese border remains quiet.
Pro-Israel narrative
Though Israel rightfully still has reservations regarding a cease-fire in Lebanon, the time is ripe for a deal. Israel has decimated Hezbollah's leadership, seriously degraded its rocket arsenal, and destroyed its terrorist infrastructure along the border, demonstrating a clear Israeli victory over the group. Nothing is yet set in stone, but Israel's campaign in Lebanon has been quite successful.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Of course, Israel is perpetrating as many massacres as possible in Lebanon before a cease-fire is implemented, launching massive strikes across the country. It's also not clear if Israel will stick to the agreement. Either way, Israel's genocide in Gaza has continued unabated and must not be forgotten.
Narrative D
Israel is looking for a cease-fire in Lebanon because it failed miserably at reoccupying South Lebanon. Though a deal has not yet been agreed upon, Hezbollah has remained steadfast in its defense of Lebanese sovereignty and the Lebanese people, successfully preventing Israel from achieving its goals.