Israel is taking a narrow view of the ceasefire that emerged between the U.S. and Iran, signaling it will not extend the pause to military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorsed the two-week truce after President Donald Trump brokered the agreement with Tehran. Netanyahu publicly praised Trump for the diplomatic move and confirmed Israel would halt bombing campaigns inside Iran itself.
But the Israeli leader made clear the ceasefire has geographic limits. Operations against Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia fighting across the Lebanese border, remain fair game under Israel's interpretation of the arrangement.
The distinction carries significant weight. Hezbollah has served as Iran's primary proxy force in the region, and the group has conducted sustained rocket attacks into northern Israel. By excluding Lebanon from the ceasefire terms, Netanyahu preserves Israel's ability to respond to Hezbollah operations without running afoul of the agreement with Iran.
The move reflects the complexities of the broader conflict, where direct Iranian military action and proxy-force operations exist in separate spheres. While Trump's agreement targets the immediate threat of Iranian strikes, it leaves unresolved the question of how long hostilities involving Iranian-backed militias will continue.
Netanyahu's position suggests Israel intends to maintain pressure on Hezbollah regardless of whether tensions between Tel Aviv and Tehran cool. The ceasefire announcement came as Trump returned to office, giving the new administration an early diplomatic win in a volatile region.
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