Watch as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation on Tuesday (26 November) following Middle East ceasefire discussions.
Netanyahu’s address came after Israel carried out large-scale, deadly airstrikes over large sections of Beirut, including the centre of the Lebanese capital on Tuesday, as it intensified its assault on Hezbollah ahead of an expected ceasefire.
The Israeli Defence Force struck dozens of sites across the city and southern parts of Lebanon over several hours, while ground forces struck Hezbollah military sites and weapons caches in mountainous areas of southern Lebanon, claiming to have killed a commander of the group.
Netanyahu delivered a national address after discussing a ceasefire deal with his national security cabinet amid international pressure to bring an immediate end to hostilities.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken said Washington had been focused on trying to get a ceasefire agreement over the line. “We’re intensely focused on this, we will be until the last day of this administration,” he said, defending Israel’s actions in Beirut by saying that both sides had exchanged fire regularly throughout the conflict.