US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday evening that the war cannot end as long as Iran's proxies continue launching missiles, according to Israeli media. Rubio also stated that the Lebanon file is separate from the Iran file, drawing a distinction between the two fronts.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday evening that the war cannot end as long as Iran's proxies continue launching missiles, according to a report by Amit Segal (N12). The statement, reported at 19:08 Jerusalem, marked Rubio's first public comments since the US-Iran memorandum of understanding was signed — and was swiftly followed by three additional versions of the same briefing as the desk received fuller details.
Within the same minute, Rubio's remarks were expanded to include that the Israel-Lebanon negotiation track is separate from the US-Iran nuclear and security talks, and that no nation may levy tolls on an international shipping lane. He also said Washington will hold direct talks with the Lebanese government. The sequence shows a single press moment rather than a series of remarks, with corroboration evolving from a single Israeli media report to a multi-source account.
The comments come amid ongoing multi-front escalation involving Israel, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Iranian-backed groups. As The Zioneer reported earlier Tuesday, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem demanded a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. The US-Iran MoU — signed without immediate public detail — has been followed by Rubio's first framing of its limits: the Iran track does not restrain Washington from engaging with Lebanon separately.
No official US State Department transcript or confirmation has been released. The precise venue and format of Rubio's remarks remain unverified beyond the Israeli media accounts.
7 developments
- StrongLebanese FM urges Arab states to back independent Lebanon-Israel negotiation track
- DevelopingRubio tells Iran: decide if you are a state or a revolutionary movement
- StrongLebanese President Aoun insists no settlement will be made at Lebanon's expense
- DevelopingReport: US envoy Rubio faces tough task persuading Gulf allies to restore ties with Iran
Source and signal
- Internal intake