The road to peace with Lebanon is long, but it has already begun, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday, while warning that Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah is not over. 

In a recorded video statement, Netanyahu defended Israel’s acceptance of a 10-day ceasefire with Lebanon, saying it combined both military pressure and diplomatic opportunity.

“One hand holds a weapon; the other is extended for peace,” Netanyahu said, describing the approach as part of what he called a dual-track strategy.

He said the decision to move toward a temporary halt in fighting came at the request of U.S. President Donald Trump, adding that Israel was now “giving an opportunity to advance a combined diplomatic and military solution with the Lebanese government.”

Despite the ceasefire, Netanyahu stressed that the confrontation with Hezbollah was far from over.

Since the October 7, 2023 attacks, he said, Israel had succeeded in eliminating what he described as Hezbollah’s capacity for cross-border infiltration and anti-tank operations, and had destroyed “around 90 percent” of the group’s rocket arsenal.

“Honestly, we have not yet finished the job,” Netanyahu said. “There are still matters we intend to address regarding the remaining rocket threat and the drone threat, which I will not elaborate on.”

He added that Israel was working toward the broader objective of dismantling Hezbollah, but cautioned that this would take time.

“This will not happen overnight,” he said. “It requires sustained effort, patience, and careful management on the diplomatic front.”