Israel-Lebanon latest: Netanyahu rejects ceasefire as Israeli strike ‘eliminates’ Hezbollah’s aerial commander

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected international calls for a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah , despite pressure from allies like the US and France.

“We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with full force, and we will not stop until we reach all our goals – chief among them the return of the residents of the north securely to their homes,” Mr Netanyahu said.

The UK had joined the US, France and other allies in calling for a 21-day temporary truce , amid concerns Israel is preparing for a ground invasion.

Earlier, Israel struck about 220 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in 24 hours, according to Israeli military leaders.

The targets included infrastructure sites, launchers from which projectiles were fired toward Israeli territory , Hezbollah operatives and weapons storage facilities.

Israel also said a Hezbollah air force commander had been killed in an air strike on Beirut.

Mohammad Surur, the head of one of Hezbollah’s air force units, was killed in the strike on a populated area of Beirut’s southern suburbs.

There have been a number of such strikes this week , alongside more than 1,000 others around the country.