US-Iran Peace Deal: Several Israeli ministers have expressed displeasure regarding the proposed agreement between the US and Iran—a deal that has yet to be signed or formalized. The Israeli leadership is uneasy about this agreement, which aims to end the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, because reports indicate it includes a provision for a ceasefire on the Lebanon front.
Signals from US President Donald Trump, Pakistani mediators, and Iran suggest that the proposed agreement aims to halt violence and military action across all major fronts in the region, including Lebanon.
Israeli officials believe that if fighting in Lebanon ceases without addressing their security concerns, it could grant a strategic advantage to Iran-backed groups. This is why deep apprehensions and disagreements regarding the deal have emerged within the Netanyahu government.
According to AFP, two right-wing ministers claimed that this agreement does not bind Israel. Meanwhile, a key opposition candidate in the upcoming elections described it as a “dangerous turning point” for the country’s security.
In his initial reaction, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated on his Telegram channel, “Trump’s deal does not apply to us… We are not part of this agreement. It does not guarantee our security.”
He asserted that the objective should be the elimination of the Iran-backed group Hezbollah, which operates in Lebanon.
He added, “We should not settle for anything less than the elimination of Hezbollah. We must not retreat even an inch from the territory our soldiers have captured and cleared of terrorist infrastructure.”
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich echoed similar sentiments, describing the agreement as “bad for Israel.”
Smotrich also called for a more robust military campaign in Lebanon. According to AFP, he said, “We will be tested in Lebanon. This is our fight; these are our soldiers, and it is a matter of the immediate security of our northern residents.”
Smotrich added, “I will continue working to ensure we stand firm in our position and grant the IDF full operational freedom to push Hezbollah further back.”
According to Reuters, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the Israeli military would remain in security zones established in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza—a stance Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear to Trump.
As reported by The Times of Israel, Katz said on Monday that the country would not withdraw its forces from the large swaths of southern Lebanon it has effectively occupied for weeks—despite pressure linked to the US-Iran agreement and “all current and future pressures.” Katz stated, “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I are pursuing a clear policy: the IDF will remain in security zones within Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza indefinitely to protect the border and Israeli communities from jihadist elements.”
According to reports, he added that “residents would be removed from these security zones, and all terrorist infrastructure—both above and below ground—would be destroyed. This includes homes in border villages that were used as terrorist strongholds.”
There was no immediate response from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding this.
What did the US-Iran agreement regarding Lebanon entail? Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who played a key role as a mediator between the US and Iran in the peace talks, stated, “After an unprecedented conflict lasting three months and 16 days, an announcement has been made to immediately and permanently halt military actions across all fronts, including Iran, the US, and Lebanon.”
Meanwhile, the secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council announced that military operations in all locations, including Lebanon, would cease permanently starting Monday night.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized that Israeli attacks on Lebanon must be completely halted and that the US bears the responsibility for implementing this framework agreement.
Before the announcement of the agreement, Trump had stated that he would bring peace to the entire region, including Lebanon. He asserted that there must be no further Israeli attacks on Lebanon or attacks on Israel by the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah.
According to Al Jazeera, Pakistan has said it will oversee the formal signing ceremony for the framework agreement, scheduled for Friday in Geneva, Switzerland.
(With agency inputs)