[83619] Political Drama: US and Iran Nearing Peace Agreement, Netanyahu Refuses to Withdraw from Lebanon
[83619] Political Drama: US and Iran Nearing Peace Agreement, Netanyahu Refuses to Withdraw from Lebanon
Reports of an emerging agreement between the US and Iran for a regional ceasefire, while Israel clarifies that its army will not withdraw from Lebanon.
Political Drama: US and Iran Nearing Peace Agreement, Netanyahu Refuses to Withdraw from Lebanon
According to reports from Sputnik Arabic, the US and Iran have reached an agreement in principle for an immediate ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and the lifting of the naval blockade on Tehran. The agreement is expected to be signed this coming Friday in Geneva. US President Donald Trump confirmed the details, stating that it is an agreement that will bring "peace and security to the entire region" and that he has ordered the opening of the Strait of Hormuz for free passage. Al-Mayadeen Channel, which is affiliated with the Axis of Resistance, emphasized that this is a "historical achievement" and a defeat for Israeli plans.
Conversely, Al Jazeera Channel reports that Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz clarified on behalf of the government that Israel does not consider itself bound by the "Lebanese clause" in the agreement. In Yedioth Ahronoth, it was noted that Netanyahu clarified to Trump in a phone call that the IDF will not withdraw from its positions in Lebanon and will continue to act to thwart Hezbollah's threats. At the same time, CNN reported that Trump expressed great anger over Israel's strikes in Lebanon and even used "blunt language" in his conversation with Netanyahu, although US officials claimed these strikes served as leverage that advanced the negotiations.
On the ground, the battles continue. Al Jazeera Channel reports on incessant Israeli artillery shelling in the Nabatieh area, Kfar Tebnit, and Yahmar. Quds News Network reported the deaths of two people in a strike on a house in the town of Al-Ghassanieh in southern Lebanon. Al-Mayadeen Channel described the strikes as "aggression" aimed at civilian infrastructure.
In the internal Israeli political arena, Shehab Channel quotes harsh criticism from the opposition; Yair Golan called the situation a "total failure," while Benny Gantz defined the agreement as a "strategic failure." Commentator Ben Caspit claimed that Netanyahu has turned Israel into a "hostage" of Trump and has led the country to a significant political loss.