Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would continue to strike Hezbollah targets, rejecting a 21-day ceasefire proposal put on the table by the US and France, as he landed in New York on Thursday, ahead of his address at the UN General Debate the next day.

"My policy, our policy, is clear: we continue to strike Hezbollah with full force. We will not stop until we achieve all our goals, foremost among them the safe return of residents from the north to their homes," Netanyahu stated.

Footage shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanyahu landing in New York where they were received by Israel's Ambassador to the US Mike Herzog, Israel's Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon, and the Consul General of Israel in New York Ofir Akunis.

He also claimed that Israel had killed the commander of Hezbollah's aerial unit Muhammad Hussein Srour also known as Abu Saleh during an air strike earlier in the day.

"During the flight, I approved the elimination of the head of the drone unit and other matters - and it was carried out," Netanyahu said.

Hezbollah confirmed that the senior commander was targeted by an Israeli strike on Beirut on Thursday, which has killed four people but has not confirmed his death at the time of publication.

The Israeli military began 'Operation Northern Arrows' on Monday, with airstrikes on Hezbollah locations. Over 600 people have been killed in total and more than 2,000 injured at time of publication, according to Lebanon. Hezbollah also launched rocket strikes into northern Israel.

Tensions in southern Lebanon have escalated over the past week, following mass pager and handheld radio explosions, which Hezbollah blamed on Israel. The IDF did not comment.

Hezbollah and Israeli forces have been exchanging cross border fire since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza in October 2023.