Shafaq News- Middle East
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told US President Donald Trump that Israel does not consider itself bound by the Lebanon clause of the emerging US-Iran agreement, asserting that Tel Aviv will not accept any arrangement limiting its freedom to act against Hezbollah.
According to Israeli officials cited by Yedioth Ahronoth, Netanyahu also informed Trump that Israeli forces will not withdraw from Lebanon and that the Israeli forces will maintain their current positions, continuing operations to neutralize Hezbollah threats, including the destruction of militant infrastructure and responses to any attack on Israeli territory.
The Israeli Security Cabinet convened to address the standoff, with ministers expressing broad support for Netanyahu's position. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich argued that Lebanon should be the arena for any Israeli military response to Iranian aggression, because Lebanon falls within Israel's direct security sphere, while Iran remains the domain of US-led diplomacy. Under that logic, Israel could avoid accusations of undermining Trump's negotiations while preserving its operational freedom against Hezbollah.
Read more: Iran and Israel exchange of missiles: What was achieved?
Smotrich proposed warning residents of the Beqaa Valley —a Hezbollah stronghold in eastern Lebanon— that they would have one hour to evacuate if Iran attacked Israel, after which the army would strike dozens of targets in the area. Supporters of the approach framed such strikes as delivering deterrence against both Hezbollah and Iran simultaneously, with one official saying the flight time to Lebanon is "five minutes instead of four hours."
Other ministers pressed for stronger action, according to the newspaper. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for a disproportionate response to any Iranian fire, while Transport Minister Miri Regev said Israel must "stop the ping-pong." Minister Gila Gamliel called for territorial gains, and Minister Eli Cohen said any response must establish clear deterrence without rupturing ties with Washington.
Israeli officials said they assessed overnight that Iran had decided to stand down following an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs (Dahiyeh) after concluding that US pressure had led Tehran to avoid escalation that could derail the nuclear negotiations.
On the ground, Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon continued Monday. Lebanon's National News Agency reported Israeli artillery shelling on the towns of Kafr Tibnit and Nabatiyeh al-Fawqa. The Israeli army also detonated a remote-controlled M113 armored vehicle on the Haris-Tibnin road, and an Israeli drone struck a vehicle in Kafr Tibnit, with reports of casualties. Explosions were also reported in the city of Khiam in the Marjayoun district.
Read more: Israel reshapes southern Lebanon: Displacement and settlement fears