Israel is engaged in "stubborn negotiations" with the United States over maintaining its military presence in southern Lebanon despite a newly announced US-Iran agreement aimed at ending hostilities across the region, according to a senior Israeli official quoted by Reuters.
The official, who is close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel has "no intention of backing down" from its security demands and remains determined to keep troops deployed in strategic areas of southern Lebanon.
The dispute threatens to complicate efforts to implement a fragile US-Iran memorandum of understanding, which seeks to halt military operations across multiple fronts, including Lebanon, and create a pathway toward a broader nuclear agreement within 60 days.
Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump publicly criticised Netanyahu's conduct in Lebanon during a press conference at the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France.
"We have a little dispute over Lebanon. I say, 'You can do a little softer touch, Bibi. You don't have to knock down a building every time somebody walks into it that's from Hezbollah,'" Trump said.
Lebanon Emerges As Major Sticking Point
While Israeli officials have publicly backed Washington's broader efforts to de-escalate tensions with Tehran, they have resisted interpretations of the agreement that would require an immediate withdrawal from territory seized during recent fighting with Hezbollah.
Iranian officials have argued that any lasting deal must include a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, with Tehran warning that Israel's continued presence would violate the spirit of the agreement. Hezbollah has echoed that position, saying it believes Iran will not finalise a comprehensive accord if Israeli troops remain deployed in Lebanon.
US officials, however, have sent mixed signals on whether an Israeli withdrawal is an explicit condition of the interim agreement, highlighting differing interpretations among the parties involved.
ALSO READ: Trump Publicly Rebukes Netanyahu At G7 Over Lebanon Strikes: 'Don't Have To Knock Down Building...'
Fragile Ceasefire Under Pressure
The latest tensions come weeks after Israel and Lebanon agreed to implement a US-mediated ceasefire contingent on Hezbollah ending attacks and withdrawing its fighters from areas south of the Litani River. The agreement also envisioned expanded control by the Lebanese Armed Forces in parts of southern Lebanon.
Despite the ceasefire framework, violence has not fully stopped. Israeli forces have continued conducting strikes against what they describe as Hezbollah targets, including a deadly drone attack in southern Lebanon earlier this week.
For Netanyahu, the negotiations with Washington underscore the difficult balance between preserving Israel's security objectives and maintaining close coordination with its most important ally as the region navigates a delicate diplomatic moment.
ALSO READ: 'Unfair' For Iran To Lack Ballistic Missiles: Trump Raises Eyebrows With Remark On Tehran's Arsenal
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