An Israeli source tells i24NEWS that Israel will not be required to withdraw as part of the emerging understandings with Iran. The source said it remains unclear whether Israel will be able to operate against Hezbollah's military buildup — not only in response to attacks on troops or civilians — suggesting a key point of ambiguity in the framework.
An Israeli official, speaking to i24NEWS diplomatic correspondent Amichai Stein, stated Monday morning that Israel will not be required to withdraw from any position as part of the emerging understandings between the US and Iran regarding Lebanon. The official said a central unresolved question is whether the framework allows Israel to strike Hezbollah's military buildup — its force buildup and weapons infrastructure — or only to respond to actual attacks or attempted attacks on Israeli soldiers or civilians.
The comment comes as the contours of a reported US-Iran deal remain opaque. As The Zioneer reported earlier Monday, neither party has published the full terms, and Iranian leaks have described a permanent ceasefire on the Lebanon front. Israeli officials have consistently insisted on retaining freedom of action against Hezbollah, with a senior official reaffirming overnight that Israel will not accept constraints on strikes against the group. A US official told Israeli media on June 12 that no country would waive its right to self-defense under the deal. The source's statement suggests that even on the core question of withdrawal, Israel sees the emerging text as non-binding on its posture, while the scope of permitted operations — preemptive versus reactive — remains the active point of diplomatic contention.
4 developments
- DevelopingUS official: Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon not a condition for Iran deal, self-defense right retained
- StrongKatz: Israel will not relinquish gains in Iran negotiations
- 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