Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected calls for truce talks with Israel, saying that negotiating while under attack would amount to 'surrender'. His remarks came as Israel expanded military operations in southern Lebanon, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announcing the enlargement of what he described as a security buffer zone extending toward the Litani River.

Israel has continued airstrikes and ground operations, targeting what it says are Hezbollah command centers and weapons facilities. Hezbollah responded with dozens of attacks, including rocket fire toward central and northern Israel, most of which were intercepted. Both sides reported injuries among their forces as cross-border fighting intensified.

Lebanon has suffered significant casualties and displacement, with more than 1,000 people reported killed in over three weeks of strikes, including dozens of health workers. Israeli bombardments have hit southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut, prompting mass evacuations. The United Nations secretary-general urged both sides to cease fire and warned against further escalation that could worsen the humanitarian crisis.