Netanyahu Insists Israel Will Continue Operations in Lebanon Despite US-Iran Deal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that his country will continue security operations in Lebanon, even after the United States and Iran reached an agreement to ease regional tensions. In a statement on Monday (15/6), Netanyahu stressed that Israel would not withdraw its forces from Lebanese territory as long as threats to national security remain.
“Israel must remain vigilant, continue to be strong, and be determined to defend itself as much as possible,” Netanyahu said, as quoted by the Jerusalem Post on Tuesday (16/6). The remarks were made against the backdrop of ongoing conflict on multiple fronts since the outbreak of war following the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023. Beyond the conflict in the Gaza Strip, Israel is also engaged in confrontations with Hezbollah in Lebanon and facing tensions in Syria.
According to Netanyahu, the majority of those involved in the Hamas attack have been neutralised by the Israeli military. However, he stated that threats still need to be addressed. “He will also be eliminated. Israel will not allow terrorist organisations to camp on our borders,” Netanyahu declared. “We will remain in the security buffer zone in Lebanon for as long as necessary,” he added.
The statement marked Netanyahu’s first public comment after US President Donald Trump announced an agreement with Iran. Trump previously stated that the deal included the lifting of the US naval blockade against Iran. Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the agreement also encompassed efforts to halt fighting on various fronts, including Lebanon. Despite this, several Israeli officials and ministers have openly stated that Israel is not bound by the agreement because it did not participate in the negotiations.
In his speech, Netanyahu also addressed Iran’s nuclear programme. He affirmed that Israel remains committed to preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons, regardless of any international agreement. He also defended Israel’s recent strikes on Iran, claiming they had successfully reduced direct threats to Israeli security.
“Together with our American friends, we launched the largest attack mission in Israel’s history. We thwarted nuclear scientists, killed leaders of the terrorist regime, destroyed nuclear factories, and eliminated missiles and most missile production plants,” Netanyahu said. “We caused enormous damage. We estimate the losses at hundreds of billions of dollars, and some estimates put it close to a trillion dollars. This is massive damage to Iran’s economy that will take decades to repair.”
Netanyahu also touched on his relationship with President Trump, acknowledging that they do not always see eye to eye on every issue but stressing that Israel’s security interests will always remain his government’s top priority. Meanwhile, the US and Iran are reported to have reached an agreement after several rounds of intensive negotiations, with a memorandum of understanding scheduled to be signed in Switzerland on 19 June. Details of the agreement have not yet been made public.