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Israel's United Nations Ambassador Danny Danon stated on Friday that the three-week ceasefire extension in Lebanon, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, is "not 100%."
He claimed on CNN that Hezbollah is "sending rockets trying to sabotage the ceasefire" and that Tel Aviv would retaliate against every threat, as Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire already struck multiple towns in southern Lebanon just hours after the extension of the ceasefire was announced.
Danon told CNN's Jim Sciutto that the ceasefire's durability is uncertain.
"I have to be honest. The Lebanese government has no control over Hezbollah. Hezbollah is sending rockets trying to sabotage the ceasefire. And Israel, we have to retaliate. Every time we see a threat, we take action," he said.
He acknowledged that the truce was an improvement but stopped short of fully endorsing it.
"It's a significantly better situation. It's not 100%. I hope to see that the Lebanese military is actually able to implement and enforce this ceasefire," he noted.
Trump announced the ceasefire extension following a White House meeting with Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors, not attended by Hezbollah, which is not a party to the talks.
"The meeting went very well! The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The initial 10-day truce had taken effect on April 16 and was set to expire on Sunday. The three-week extension pushes the new deadline into mid-May.
Trump separately said that he was in no rush to end the war with Iran, adding that "the clock is ticking" for Tehran as a third U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush, arrived in the Middle East, bringing the total to three.
He also ruled out the use of nuclear weapons against Iran.
Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz said separately that Israel was "awaiting a green light from the United States, first and foremost to complete the elimination of the Khamenei dynasty, and additionally to return Iran to the Dark Age and the Stone Age."
The Israeli army carried out airstrikes and artillery shelling across southern Lebanon in the early hours of Friday, after the ceasefire extension was announced.
Israeli warplanes struck a house in the town of Touline in the Marjayoun district at dawn, followed by artillery shelling.
Additional strikes targeted Kherbet Selm.
In the Tyre district, aircraft struck the outskirts of Majdal Zoun, while overnight strikes also hit the Rihan Heights in the Jezzine area.
Israel currently occupies a zone extending three to six miles into southern Lebanon, saying it aims to shield northern Israel from future Hezbollah attacks.
Close to 2,500 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel's offensive began in early March, and more than 1 million have been displaced.
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