Israel Defies U.S. Pressure to Withdraw From Lebanon

The United States and Iran are finalizing a regional peace agreement intended to end the Middle East war, though Israel has repeatedly rejected U.S. pressure to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and Syria. Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, vowed that Israel will maintain control of Lebanese territory and continue demolishing houses in the south, regardless of the pending deal.

Tensions escalated on June 17 after Israeli drone strikes in Nabatieh killed four people, prompting Iran to accuse Israel of violating a truce. Iran warned that continued attacks could trigger a harsh response and demanded that any final deal include sanctions relief, the release of frozen assets, and a full Israeli withdrawal. Concurrently, Iran reported that three oil tankers bypassed a U.S. naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman, claiming the agreement mandates an immediate end to the blockade.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun asserted that Lebanon's direct negotiations with Israel are independent of the U.S.-Iran memorandum. While Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem viewed the U.S.-Iran deal as a victory and called for the expulsion of Israeli forces, he explicitly rejected the Lebanese government's order to disarm Hezbollah. Direct talks between Lebanon and Israel are scheduled for June 22 in the United States, amid ongoing sporadic violence and casualties on both sides.