Israeli Forces Advance in Lebanon as Gaza Ceasefire Holds with Limited Aid

Israeli military operations advanced deeper into southern Lebanon this week, marking the largest ground incursion in more than 26 years. Strikes killed at least nine people and prompted hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. The Israeli defense minister stated Thursday that ground operations would continue, hours after Israel and Lebanon had agreed to implement a U.S.-backed ceasefire.

Hezbollah's leader rejected the truce and demanded full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.

More than 900 people have been killed in Gaza by Israeli bombardment since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect last October. One in ten of the pre-war population of 2.3 million has been killed or injured since the war began. Israeli forces control at least 60 percent of Gaza territory, which remains largely uninhabitable after widespread demolition.

Aid inflows remain below levels agreed in the ceasefire, producing shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies.

Trump stated that an agreement with Iran could be reached soon and that the Strait of Hormuz could reopen. The strait handles about 20 percent of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Emma Graham-Harrison, The Guardian's chief Middle East correspondent, said the nuclear issue central to earlier Israeli objectives does not appear to be part of current negotiations.

She noted that Israeli officials view the conflict as having reached a stalemate.