The American Wall Street Journal revealed that Israel is pressuring the United States to include what it describes as “freedom of military action” against Hezbollah in Lebanon in any prospective agreement between Washington and Tehran, in a move that may add a new obstacle to the ongoing negotiations between the two parties.
The newspaper quoted informed people that Israel seeks to include a clause in the proposed agreement that would allow it to continue its military movements in Lebanon, at a time when Iran insists that any ceasefire agreement must include an end to the fighting in the Lebanese arena.
According to the report, Hezbollah joined the war in early March in support of Iran, which prompted Israel to expand its military operations by carrying out a ground attack inside Lebanon and intensifying its strikes against the party’s positions.
The newspaper added that the administration of US President Donald Trump pushed during April to reach a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, amid fears that continued confrontations might threaten the fragile truce existing between the United States and Iran.
This comes at a time when there were reports that Washington and Tehran had reached a preliminary draft agreement to extend the truce for a period of 60 days, to become effective after the approval of Trump and Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
According to circulating information, the agreement aims to stabilize the ceasefire and open the door to broader negotiations that include the Iranian nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz, while some outstanding provisions still prevent its final announcement.
In parallel with the diplomatic track, the Israeli army continues its operations in southern Lebanon, where villages and towns are witnessing continuous raids and bombing, while reports speak of destruction of infrastructure in areas where Israeli forces are stationed.
On the other hand, Hezbollah continues to target Israeli forces with missiles and drones, as confrontations continue on the southern front.
The report coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s confirmation, for the first time, that Israeli forces had crossed the Litani River in southern Lebanon.
