Israel has decided to maintain its military presence in southern Lebanon, where it is fighting the Iran-backed Hezbollah, despite the recent peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran.
Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Monday that if Iran were to attack Israel due to the events in Lebanon, Israel would retaliate “with full force”. He further stated that Israel will not compromise on its security interests and the protection of its citizens, reported the Times of Israel. Katz vowed Israel would continue to stay in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria, or Gaza “without any time limit.”
While there was no immediate comment from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, members of his coalition have stated that Israel will “not be bound” by the terms of the U.S.-Iran agreement, according to the report. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Israel must halt its military operations in Lebanon for the U.S.-backed peace deal to take effect.
Meanwhile, Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, rejected the agreement, saying it does not bind Israel and insisting the country would make its own security decisions. He argued that Israel should not withdraw from territory captured in Lebanon, claiming the deal fails to adequately protect Israeli security interests.
“Israel is not subordinate to the United States….We are not partners to this agreement, which does not safeguard our security. We must not withdraw from any territory [in Lebanon] that our fighters have captured.” he said.
Trump-Netanyahu Rift Deepens
The peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran, announced by President Donald Trump, came a day after Trump warned Israel against further strikes in Lebanon, stating that such actions could jeopardize the ongoing peace process.
Trump told Axios that he was caught off guard by an Israeli strike in Beirut and reacted angrily toward Netanyahu after being briefed by his advisers. “I was so pissed off. I let him know. He has no f**** judgement. I let him know that,” Trump told the publication.
Earlier, Vice President JD Vance had noted that the U.S. and Israel do not always share aligned interests, highlighting the reported strains between Trump and Netanyahu.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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