Israel’s defence minster has said in the wake of Trump’s “peace deal” with Iran that Israel will not withdraw from southern Lebanon and “if Iran attacks Israel because of events in Lebanon, we will strike it with full force”.
Defence Minister Israel Katz said about the deal, which supposedly also includes ending the fighting against Hezbollah: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I are leading a clear policy that determines that the IDF will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, without any time limit, to protect, from there, the border and Israeli communities against jihadist elements.”
Katz said that holding onto the security zones was “among the IDF’s greatest achievements” in the war, and therefore, “we oppose an IDF withdrawal from Lebanon, despite all the existing pressures and those that will still come.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu made these points clear to US President Trump and to other senior American officials, and I also made this clear yesterday to US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.”
Katz also warned that “if Iran attacks Israel because of events in Lebanon, we will strike it with full force.”
A 60-day period to agree on a final framework regarding nuclear and security issues is due to start Friday.
"The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all! I hereby fully authorise the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorise the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow," Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Tensions flared on Sunday night as Tehran vowed to retaliate against an Israeli attack on Hezbollah in Beirut, which came after Israeli communities in the north were once again under Hezbollah fire. Major events were cancelled and the country braced for further attacks.
News of the deal has been met with concern in Israel that it may restrict Jerusalem's campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon and that the issues of Iran's missile programme and support for proxies will remain unresolved.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said this morning: “Trump's agreement does not bind us. Israel is not subject to the United States, and we are an independent and sovereign nation!
“Our duty is to the citizens of Israel, to the soldiers of the IDF, and to the Jewish people...
“Every time we succumbed to international pressure at the expense of Israel's security, we paid a blood price with interest. It was true in the Oslo Accords, it was true in the Lebanon agreement in 2006, and it was true in every period of containment in Gaza that exploded in our faces.
“We emphasise: We love the USA and are grateful to President Trump. And yet, the State of Israel is not a banana republic.”
Raz Zimmt, head of the Iran and Shia Axis programme at Israel's Institute of National Security Studies, said this morning: “A war that began with the US president’s promise to help the Iranian people following the brutal suppression of the January 2026 protests may end with a handshake between his vice president and the man who commanded Iran’s internal security forces.”
According to the Associated Press, the draft agreement would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, end the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and launch a 60-day process to address Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium and broader nuclear activities.
The deal is expected to be signed in Switzerland later this week following mediation efforts led by Pakistan and Qatar.
According to Iran’s Mehr News Agency, Iranian officials insist Tehran will retain control over its enriched uranium stockpile and has not accepted additional restrictions on its nuclear programme.
Mehr has also reported Iranian demands for the release of frozen assets and sanctions relief as part of the negotiations.
This morning, Barak Ravid reported that a senior US official denied Iran's claim that it will get $12 billion from its frozen funds unconditionally before the 60-day negotiations start and called it "a spin".
"This is completely not true. This is a pay for performance deal and no frozen funds will be released without the Iranians inplementing their commitments", the official claimed.
Last week, Trump said discussions and final points have been approved by all parties involved, including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and others.
On Thursday night, the Prime Minister's office released a statement saying Trump had spoken with PM Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the emerging deal.
"Even though Israel is not a party to the memorandum of understanding, the Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for President Trump's commitment that the final agreement at the conclusion of negotiations will include the removal of enriched material, the dismantling of enrichment infrastructure, limits on missile production, and the cessation of Iran's support for its terrorist proxies in the region," the statement said.
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