A fragile ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel has collapsed after Hezbollah officially rejected the terms, sources confirm. The militant group, backed by Iran and listed as a terrorist organisation by the UK, walked away from negotiations late last night, citing unmet conditions. British diplomats are now scrambling to salvage any hope of renewed peace, but the odds look grim.
Documents obtained by this newsroom reveal the proposed ceasefire demanded Hezbollah withdraw its forces from the southern border region and disarm. In return, Israel would halt its targeted strikes and ease restrictions on Lebanese airspace and fishing zones. But Hezbollah's leadership balked. Insiders say the group viewed the terms as a surrender, not a settlement.
'They want us to lay down our arms while Israel keeps its guns,' a Hezbollah source told me, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'That's not a ceasefire. That's a capitulation.'
The rejection marks a major setback for British diplomats, who have spent weeks shuttling between Beirut, Tel Aviv and Washington. The Foreign Office had hoped to broker a deal that would stabilise the region and reduce the risk of a wider war. But with Hezbollah digging in, those hopes are fading fast.
'This is a blow,' a senior British official admitted. 'But we are not giving up. There are still channels open. We are urging both sides to return to the table.'
Yet the real power may lie elsewhere. Hezbollah's decision came after consultations with Tehran. Iran has long used the group as a proxy to project influence and pressure Israel. Any ceasefire that weakens Hezbollah is a threat to Iran's strategic ambitions. So while British diplomats talk peace, Tehran may have a different plan.
On the ground, the situation is deteriorating. Israeli airstrikes continue to pound positions in south Lebanon. Hezbollah has retaliated with rockets, some reaching deep into northern Israel. Casualties are mounting. UNIFIL forces, the UN peacekeepers, are trapped between the two sides, unable to enforce calm.
Local residents are fleeing again. In the southern suburbs of Beirut, families are packing bags. 'We thought it was over,' a shopkeeper said, his voice cracked. 'But they always come back for more.'
There is a pattern here. Ceasefires, breakdowns, more blood. The money behind the weapons keeps flowing. Hezbollah gets funds from Iran, Israel gets billions from the US. Everyone talks peace but profits from war.
The British push for renewed peace now looks like a diplomatic hail Mary. With Hezbollah rejecting the terms, the next steps are unclear. Will London try to revise the deal? Can they pressure the group through sanctions or diplomacy? Possibly. But as history shows, when the guns speak, the diplomats fade.
Stay tuned. This story is not over. It's just the beginning of another chapter in a region where peace is a rumour that never quite becomes truth.
