On Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israeli forces will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, directly defying the terms of a new peace deal between the U.S. and Iran.
President Trump reached the agreement to end a 100-day war, but Israeli officials view the pact as a "catastrophic capitulation" that grants too many concessions to Tehran. Israel invaded Lebanon in March to stop Hezbollah rocket fire and now insists on maintaining a "security zone" to protect its northern border regardless of the U.S. ceasefire. This defiance has sparked a historic rift between Trump and Netanyahu, as reports suggest the U.S. withheld deal details from its ally to prevent potential leaks or sabotage.
The formal signing of the agreement is scheduled for Friday in Geneva, which will test whether Israel is prepared to act alone against Iranian-backed groups.
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