Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged US President Donald Trump to limit ongoing negotiations with Lebanon to a two- to three-week window ending in mid-May, during a call late Wednesday, Israel’s Channel 12 (N12) reported.
The call came after Trump rejected a recent Iranian proposal to set aside discussions of Iran’s nuclear program until the war has ended and focus now on resolving disputes surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.
Israeli officials have argued that continued Hezbollah attacks against IDF troops and northern communities are eroding the chances of reaching an agreement and undermining Israel’s deterrence.
Jerusalem has conveyed to Washington that if talks fail to produce results within the requested timeframe, Israel will seek approval to move forward with its “original plan” of expanded military action against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the political echelon has instructed the IDF to exercise restraint in Lebanon. The military is currently avoiding strikes north of the Litani River, with any such action carefully considered and requiring special approval.
Trump, in turn, has urged Netanyahu to limit Israeli actions in Lebanon to “surgical” strikes only and to avoid further escalation, according to an Axios report.
During a visit to forces in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir stressed that troops are operating in accordance with government directives. “We have achieved everything that the political echelon laid out for us in relation to campaigns in Iran and Lebanon, and even more,” he said.
Currently, the IDF is largely responding to attacks rather than initiating operations in Lebanon, a position Israeli officials have warned benefits Hezbollah by allowing it to regroup and continue posing a threat to forces on the ground.
Jerusalem has urged the US to pressure Lebanon to act against Hezbollah in areas outside of the security buffer zone, dubbed by Israel a Forward Defense Line, which was established by the IDF in southern Lebanon earlier this month.
The restraint in Lebanon is widely seen in Israel as part of a broader effort to support US-led diplomatic efforts with Iran. However, officials acknowledge the policy carries risks, including damage to Israeli deterrence and increased pressure on northern communities, as uncertainty remains over how long these restrictions will stay in place.
South of the Litani River, Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged near-daily fire in recent days, even as negotiations between Israel and Lebanon continue in New York.
Source:
www.jpost.com
