04 June,2026 11:08 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli strike in the village of Kfar Tibnit in southern Lebanon on Wednesday. PIC/AFP
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Thursday rejected a US-backed ceasefire proposal with Israel, instead demanding a "comprehensive" truce that includes an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
In a written message broadcast on the group's Al-Manar television channel, Qassem said the ceasefire "must be comprehensive, without a separation between the south and the rest of Lebanon, and without the Israeli enemy having the freedom to kill."
The rejection comes after Israeli and Lebanese envoys held US-brokered talks in Washington and agreed on a framework linking a truce to Hezbollah halting its attacks and withdrawing fighters from south Lebanon.
A Hezbollah official told AFP the group has formally rejected the proposal, which Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had described as the "last chance" for a settlement. The position was reportedly conveyed through parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally acting as an intermediary.
Qassem also urged Beirut to stop "direct talks" with Israel, warning that attacks would continue as long as Lebanese territory remains under fire. Israel, meanwhile, said its military operations would continue in Lebanon and that it retains operational freedom to strike targets if required.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday criticised a vote in the House of Representatives seeking to end American military involvement in the Iran conflict, calling the move "unpatriotic" and disruptive to ongoing negotiations.
The measure passed 215-208 with support from all Democrats and four Republicans, marking a rare break within the Republican bloc. It now moves to the Senate and is expected to face a presidential veto.
Trump said the vote came during "final negotiations" aimed at ending the war with Iran, accusing lawmakers of undermining US diplomatic efforts. Democrats, however, argue the administration violated the War Powers Act by continuing military operations without congressional approval.
Under the law, presidents must seek approval within 60 days of deploying forces into hostilities, a deadline critics say has already passed.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards have denied responsibility for a missile and drone attack on Kuwait International Airport that killed one person and injured 63 others, including an Indian national.
IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebi said Iranian forces did not target the airport and claimed the damage was caused by a malfunction of US Patriot air defence systems.
He said Iranian missiles were aimed at a separate military target and not the civilian airport terminal. Kuwait, however, described the strike as a "heinous Iranian aggression" that caused significant damage before air operations resumed later in the day.
India's foreign ministry confirmed the death of one citizen and called for an immediate halt to attacks on civilian infrastructure. Kuwait Airways flights have since resumed operations after temporary suspension.
(With AFP inputs)
