US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Iran is conditioning any agreement on Israel ceasing its border defense operations against Hezbollah. Huckabee outlined a proposed solution involving the expulsion of Hezbollah and Hamas members to Iran, describing it as a path to peace for Lebanon and Israel.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee stated on Wednesday that Iran is demanding Israel halt its defensive border operations against Hezbollah as a condition for any broader agreement. Huckabee linked the Gaza peace plan to the disarmament of Hamas, and proposed that members of Hezbollah and Hamas be expelled to what he called the "mother ship" in Iran. He argued that this would leave Lebanon and Israel free of what he termed Iran's terrorist proxies, urging that peace be given a chance.
The statement comes amid ongoing diplomatic activity around a reported US-Iran framework. As The Zioneer reported earlier Wednesday, Lebanese Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab described the emerging agreement as mandating an immediate cessation of hostilities inside Lebanon, with a multi-phased plan for Hezbollah weapons handovers. Huckabee himself was cited on Tuesday clarifying that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had stated Iran and Hezbollah are not formally tied to the deal — a position that appears to diverge from his latest remarks, which explicitly link Iran's demands to Israeli operations against Hezbollah.
Huckabee's proposal for expelling Hezbollah and Hamas operatives to Iran is not part of any known official framework and remains a personal suggestion. The ambassador's remarks were reported via a single channel and have not been corroborated by additional sources.
2 developments
- StrongUS Ambassador Huckabee: Rubio clarified Iran and Hezbollah not tied to deal
- DevelopingU.S. Ambassador Huckabee Shares Pro-Israel op-ed urging Israeli self-reliance amid Iran deal
- DevelopingHezbollah reportedly demands Iran flight rights, visa removal from Beirut government
- DevelopingIsraeli security establishment presses for fast-tracked US-mediated Lebanon talks
Source and signal
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