Israel officials demand right to strike Hezbollah in any Lebanon ceasefire deal – National [Video]

Israeli officials demanded Wednesday the freedom to strike Lebanon’s Hezbollah as part of any cease-fire deal, raising a potential complication as a top U.S. envoy was in the region attempting to clinch an agreement.

The development came as an airstrike hit the historic Syrian town of Palmyra, killing 36 people, according to Syrian state-run media, which blamed the attack on Israel. The Israeli military declined to comment.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar each said Israel sought to reserve the right to respond to any violations by Hezbollah under an emerging proposal, which would push the militant group’s fighters and Israeli ground forces out of a U.N. buffer zone in southern Lebanon.

There have been signs of progress on the cease-fire deal, with Hezbollah’s allies in the Lebanese government saying the militant group had responded positively to the proposal.

“In any agreement we will reach, we will have to maintain our freedom …