Sources in Lebanon say that Iran is encouraging both Hezbollah and the Lebanese government to look into the possibility of a ceasefire in order to "cut their losses," according to Channel 12 reporter Ehud Yaari.
According to those sources, Iran believes that the IDF is limiting itself to clearing the border of weapons and terrorists and will not attack Hezbollah north of the Litani - a situation they believe can be the basis for negotiations.
Iran further believes that the ultimate aim of the IDF is to occupy a narrow security belt north of the border and not go beyond that.
In a surprising turn of events, Hezbollah is seeking an immediate ceasefire with Israel, according to a speech delivered Tuesday afternoon by Naim Qassem, a high-ranking official within the organization. This move, however, appears to be born out of military desperation rather than a genuine desire for peace.
Until recently, Qassem served as the deputy to Hezbollah's Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. He stated that the group "agrees to a ceasefire without conditions" and proposed that a ceasefire be implemented through diplomatic channels first, with discussions on the details to follow. Sources suggest this decision was likely coordinated with Iran.
Notably, Qassem's proposal does not tie the ceasefire to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Instead, he's pushing for an immediate halt to hostilities, with the finer points to be ironed out later. Israel is unlikely to favor this approach because it prefers to have clear terms established before agreeing to any ceasefire.
