Netanyahu Vows Israel Will Stay in Southern Lebanon Despite U.S.-Iran Deal

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon and will maintain a security zone there for as long as Israel’s defense needs require, placing Jerusalem at odds with both Tehran and the terms of a U.S.-Iran memorandum that calls for an end to hostilities in Lebanon.

Speaking at an official ceremony connected to Route 60, the major north-south highway running from Nazareth to Beersheba through Judea and Samaria, Netanyahu said Israel’s first responsibility remains the safety of its citizens, particularly those in the north who have endured months of Hezbollah attacks and displacement.

“We will restore security and prosperity to northern towns,” Netanyahu said. “That requires maintaining the security zone in southern Lebanon; it requires that we not leave there, as long as Israel’s security needs require it.”

The statement came after President Donald Trump publicly criticized Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah, saying Netanyahu could use a “softer touch” in Lebanon, even as Washington moves forward with a preliminary agreement with Iran. Reuters reported that Trump said Israel’s military approach had been overly aggressive and that the Lebanon front had become a point of tension between Washington and Jerusalem.

The memorandum of understanding signed by Washington and Tehran calls for a cessation of hostilities across the region, including Lebanon. Israel, however, is not a signatory to the deal and has made clear that it does not consider its hands tied when Hezbollah remains positioned along its northern frontier.

A senior Israeli official close to Netanyahu told Reuters that Jerusalem is engaged in “stubborn negotiations” with the United States over Israel’s continued military presence in southern Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces later released an updated map of its security zone, saying troops would remain deployed there and would continue acting against threats to Israeli civilians.

“IDF soldiers are stationed in the designated area of operation in southern Lebanon and will continue to remove threats and strengthen the defense of Israel’s northern residents,” the military said.

According to Israeli reports, the security zone extends roughly six miles into Lebanese territory from Israel’s northern border. The IDF has said the zone is intended to prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing positions close enough to launch attacks against Israeli border communities.

Iran quickly condemned Israel’s position. Esmail Baghaei, spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, warned Thursday that Israel’s continued presence in southern Lebanon would amount to an “annulment” of the preliminary agreement with Washington, suggesting Tehran may refuse deeper negotiations unless the terms of the deal are implemented.

The dispute adds a volatile new layer to the planned 60-day negotiating period between the United States and Iran. While Washington is seeking to halt the wider regional war and advance a more durable agreement, Israel is signaling that any diplomatic framework that leaves Hezbollah intact along its border is unacceptable.

For Netanyahu, the issue is not merely diplomatic but existential. Northern Israel has paid a heavy price during the war, with families displaced, communities damaged, and Hezbollah’s Iranian-backed arsenal remaining a direct threat. Jerusalem’s message is that peace cannot be built on paper while terror armies remain entrenched on the ground.

The coming days may test whether Washington can preserve its agreement with Tehran while also accommodating Israel’s security demands. For now, Netanyahu has drawn a firm red line: Israel will not leave southern Lebanon until it believes its northern citizens can safely return home.

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