Netanyahu: Israel Will Continue Fighting Iran Despite Ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the ceasefire with Iran is not the end of Israel's campaign, saying the military remains ready to resume operations at any moment.

Netanyahu's Statement

In a televised address on April 8, Netanyahu said the ceasefire was "not the end of the campaign but a step toward achieving our goals." He used the phrase "our finger is on the trigger" and claimed Israel had destroyed Iran's missile factories, "severely damaged" its nuclear program, and "paralyzed" the IRGC's weapons production networks.

Lebanon: The Other Front

Hours after the ceasefire announcement, Israel launched its largest attack on Lebanon, "Operation Infinite Darkness" on April 8 (dubbed "Black Wednesday"). Over 100 targets were hit in 10 minutes. More than 357 people were killed, including civilians in central Beirut struck without warning. Over 1,500 fighters and civilians have been killed across the operation, and approximately one million people, 20% of Lebanon's population, have been displaced.

On April 11, Israel stated it would not discuss a Hezbollah ceasefire at the April 15 Washington talks with Lebanon.

Domestic Criticism

Israeli opposition leaders sharply criticized Netanyahu. Opposition leader Yair Lapid called the ceasefire a "diplomatic disaster." Yair Golan described it as "one of the worst strategic failures in Israel's history." Haaretz's analysis concluded that Netanyahu set three goals for the Iran war and achieved none.