Senior US officials were practically triumphant Wednesday night: The United States and a large number of its allies had nailed down a proposal after days of feverish talks that would put in place a ceasefire across the Israel-Lebanon border.

Israel rejected global calls on Thursday for a ceasefire with the Hezbollah movement, defying its biggest ally in Washington and pressing ahead with strikes that have killed hundreds in Lebanon and heightened fears of an all-out regional war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed the military would maintain its bombardment of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon indefinitely, undermining efforts by the US and allies to secure a cease-fire that would ease the risk of a regional war.