Overview
- The United States and Iran reportedly reached an agreement to halt fighting across the region on Monday, a deal that mentions Lebanon and is described by U.S. sources as a cease‑fire framework.
- National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said Israel is not bound by the pact, declared it "does not guarantee our security," and demanded the dismantling of Hezbollah and retention of territory taken in recent operations.
- Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that the Israeli military will remain in security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza for an indefinite period and warned Iran that Israel would retaliate with full force if attacked.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended ongoing military operations as having protected Israel from a nuclear threat, but critics and opposition figures say the reported deal sidelined him and that the accord strengthens Iran politically.
- Hostilities continued locally after the announcement, with Hezbollah reporting it repelled an Israeli advance and Lebanese media reporting a lethal strike, a dynamic that raises the risk of further clashes and strains between Israel and the U.S. diplomatic initiative.