The United States and Iran may have finalised a deal to end their war, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the clause involving Lebanon, Israeli media said after US President Donald Trump announced that an agreement had been reached.
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On February 28, Israel and the United States conducted strikes in Iran that triggered the Middle East conflict. Lebanon became involved in the conflict after Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based militant group backed by Tehran, entered the war following the assassination of then-Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the operation.
Also Read | 'US-Iran peace deal now complete', declares Trump; signing set for June 19 in Switzerland
According to Maarev website , Netanyahu left a Sunday cabinet meeting to speak with Trump, who informed him about the upcoming signing scheduled for Friday in Switzerland.
During the call, Netanyahu reportedly told Trump that Israel does not consider itself bound by the Lebanese clause in the Washington–Tehran agreement.
“IDF (Israel Defence Forces) will not withdraw from Lebanon, will remain in the positions it currently occupies, and will continue to act to thwart the threat from Hezbollah - including destroying terrorist infrastructure and responding to any attack against Israel,” the website quoted him as saying.
The two leaders also discussed the IDF strike that day in the Lebanese capital Beirut, which delayed the agreement before it was later announced.
Although Trump mediated an Israel–Lebanon truce while preserving Israel’s right to self-defence, both Hezbollah and Israel have continued to violate the ceasefire.
Iran had also made any potential truce conditional on a full cessation of hostilities against Lebanon.
Trump has repeatedly criticised Netanyahu over Israel’s strikes on Lebanon, including using strong language to describe the IDF’s latest attack in Beirut.
“It is so bad –– I couldn't believe it. An hour before we are supposed to sign the deal. Why did Bibi have to do a f*****g attack? I was so pissed off. I let him know. He has no f*****g judgement. I let him know that,” the US leader told reporters, referring to the Israeli premier’s nickname, hours before announcing the agreement.
