US Intelligence warns Netanyahu could undermine Trump’s Iran peace efforts
Shafaq News- Washington
US intelligence agencies have warned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to take steps that could undermine President Donald Trump’s efforts to secure a lasting peace agreement with Iran, The Washington Post reported on Friday.
Citing current and former US officials, the newspaper said Israel appears determined to continue military operations against Hezbollah, adding that Netanyahu is facing intense political pressure ahead of national elections scheduled for this fall. The assessment noted that his “political survival” is increasingly tied to demonstrating that he will not withdraw Israeli forces from Lebanon and that he intends to intensify military operations against Hezbollah.
The report also described Israeli dissatisfaction with the terms of the peace memorandum promoted by Trump, arguing that “the agreement weakens Israel’s broader objective of maintaining maximum pressure on Tehran.”
US intelligence analysts reportedly assessed that Israeli officials believe the agreement could restrict Israel’s ability to act against Hezbollah, the report argued.
“An escalation of Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon could threaten not only the US-Iran MOU, but also strain Netanyahu’s relationship with Trump,” the report concluded.
On June 12, Netanyahu affirmed that Israel would not be a party to the memorandum between US and Iran.
Trump called on Netanyahu to exercise greater restraint in Lebanon, saying that the conflict had gone on too long and that civilian casualties had mounted beyond what he considered acceptable.
