Jerusalem honors truce terms while refusing to let Iran’s proxy exploit diplomacy for renewed aggression.
Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, said Thursday that Israel remains committed to the Lebanon ceasefire, but will not surrender its right to defend itself against Hezbollah attacks.
Leiter stressed that Israel will honor the agreement reached with Lebanon and the United States as long as Hezbollah does not violate it.
He made clear, however, that Israel retains the full right to respond to attacks and to neutralize threats against its territory, civilians and soldiers.
His remarks came after Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, claimed that Hezbollah would remain committed to the ceasefire only if Israel fully and comprehensively adheres to the deal.
Berri also said Lebanon’s position was intended to support the success of Iranian-US negotiations in Switzerland, linking the Hezbollah front to the broader regional diplomatic track.
US President Donald Trump said earlier that he expects a complete ceasefire across all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah and Israel, while urging Middle Eastern actors to allow negotiations to proceed.
The emerging US-Iran memorandum reportedly calls for an immediate and permanent end to fighting, including in Lebanon, while affirming Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
For Israel, the principle remains firm: peace will be respected if Hezbollah stands down, but any renewed threat from Iran’s terror proxy will be met with force.
