A senior Israeli official told i24NEWS that Israel is not expected to withdraw from any positions as part of the emerging understandings with Iran, according to the official. The statement reinforces Israeli insistence on preserving its security gains during ongoing diplomatic talks.
An Israeli official told i24NEWS on Monday that Israel is not required to withdraw from any zone or position as part of the understandings currently being negotiated with Iran, confirming a position that has emerged in earlier reports. The brief statement builds on a thread published by The Zioneer since Monday morning: at 10:04, an initial version reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu had informed the U.S. that Israel would not accept the Lebanon clause in the emerging deal; minutes later, a second version cited an Israeli source saying Israel would not be required to withdraw, though it remained unclear whether Israel could act against Hezbollah's military buildup; then a third version added that the rules of engagement and the boundaries of permitted action remain undefined, according to an unverified single-source report. The new i24NEWS statement, posted at an unspecified time on Monday, does not address the scope of future operations against Hezbollah.
As The Zioneer reported earlier: on Saturday, an Israeli source told Iran International that Israel is not obligated to sign any agreement and retains its right to self-defense, while on Friday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel would not forfeit its gains in the talks. On Sunday, a senior Israeli official told Saudi channel Al-Hadath that the agreement is "not the end of the game" and asked that military freedom in Lebanon not be restricted — a position that was followed by a Monday aide-memoire from a senior Israeli official warning that the last word on Iran has not been said. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told CBS on Sunday that Washington is on track to sign a deal with Iran and called on Tehran to restrain Hezbollah for the deal to hold.
What remains open: whether the stated position translates into operational caveats inserted into the final text and what exactly Israel may or may not be authorized to do against Hezbollah's military buildup. No on-record Israeli government statement has been issued via official channels as of Monday morning, and the U.S. has not publicly confirmed any Israeli right of refusal.
4 developments
- StrongKatz: Israel will not relinquish gains in Iran negotiations
- StrongIsraeli source: Israel not obligated to sign US-Iran deal, retains self-defense right
- DevelopingSenior US official: Israel won't be asked to leave Lebanon until final Iran-Lebanon deal — at least 60 days
- StrongIsraeli official warns last word not said on Iran as US rushes deal
Source and signal
- Internal intake