Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz pledged on Wednesday to continue fighting in Lebanon and not accept any settlement that does not achieve the war's goals, while Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Wednesday that his country's priority is to stop the ongoing Israeli aggression on Lebanon.

Katz said - during a tour of the Lebanese border - that Tel Aviv will not slow down the pace of the war and will not allow any agreement that does not include achieving the goals of the war, especially Israel's right to act alone against what he described as any terrorist activity.

"We have dealt strong blows to Hezbollah and eliminated its leader Hassan Nasrallah, and this is precisely the right time to continue our strikes with all our might in order to reap the fruits of victory," he added, stressing the need for Israel to continue striking Hezbollah in Beirut and the rest of Lebanon until the war's goals are achieved by "disarming Hezbollah, pushing it back beyond the Litani River, and creating the necessary conditions for the residents of northern Israel to return to their homes."

The Israeli minister was accompanied on his tour by Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Commander of the Northern Command Uri Gordin, and a number of senior officers.

Shortly after the Defense Minister's statement was published, missile sirens sounded in the early evening in several areas in northern and central Israel following the launch of missiles from Lebanon, according to the Israeli army.

Katz's statements come a day after US envoy Amos Hochstein spoke of an opportunity to reach a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon soon.

After days of intensive raids, Israel began a ground incursion into southern Lebanon in early October, but its forces have since faced fierce resistance from Hezbollah, which has limited its advance.

Unacceptable transgression

In contrast, Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said today that his country's priority is to stop the ongoing Israeli aggression against Lebanon and what he described as the mass massacres committed by the Israeli enemy against the Lebanese.

Mikati stressed that the priority of a peaceful solution is to implement international resolution 1701 and oblige Israel to implement it in full, reiterating his country's rejection of any conditions that constitute a violation of the resolution.

The Lebanese Prime Minister also said that his government is committed to strengthening the presence of the Lebanese army in the south in cooperation with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Axios quoted American officials as saying that Israeli Minister Ron Dermer's meetings in Washington regarding the ceasefire in Lebanon were fruitful.

US officials said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled to President Joe Biden's administration that he wants to end the war in Lebanon within weeks.

The Israeli aggression on Lebanon resulted in the death of 3,356 people and the injury of 14,344 others, according to a tally reported by the Lebanese Ministry of Health today.

The aggression also caused the destruction of dozens of villages and residential neighborhoods in cities such as Tyre, Baalbek, and the southern suburbs of Beirut, and the displacement of about 1.5 million people.