American intelligence reports revealed that US President Donald Trump received security estimates warning of the possibility of the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu taking steps that would undermine the US-Iranian understanding and efforts to stabilize the truce in the region, especially in the Lebanese arena.
According to what was reported by the Washington Post, the American intelligence services are monitoring with concern the internal political pressures inside Israel, which are pushing towards the continuation of military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, despite the understandings that stipulate a cessation of hostilities.
Estimates indicated that any new Israeli escalation may threaten the chances of the success of the US-Iranian agreement, and lead to increased tension between Washington and Tel Aviv at a sensitive stage of the regional negotiations.
According to the report, officials in the Trump administration issued direct warnings to Israel against carrying out widespread attacks against Hezbollah, considering that such steps might undermine the existing understandings and return the region to the circle of open confrontation.
The newspaper also quoted Trump as acknowledging that there was a “limited disagreement” with Netanyahu regarding Lebanon, explaining that he called on him to avoid launching large-scale strikes that might lead to the collapse of the truce.
Intelligence estimates linked Netanyahu’s political future to the upcoming Israeli elections, indicating that the Israeli Prime Minister considers the continued military presence in southern Lebanon and the toughness towards Hezbollah an essential part of his political strategy to maintain the support of his electoral base.
The report added that the American agencies believe that any Israeli withdrawal or long-term cessation of military operations may be viewed within Israel as a political retreat, which increases pressure on the Israeli government to continue the military approach.
On the other hand, an Israeli official confirmed to the newspaper that the military operations aim to protect Israelis from Hezbollah threats, stressing that Tel Aviv reserves the right to respond to any security risks.
American officials warned that the continued Israeli military presence inside Lebanese territory may lead to the collapse of the current understandings and renewed confrontations on a large scale, considering that the failure to reach a clear formula regarding withdrawal from southern Lebanon leaves the possibility of escalation strong.
This controversy comes at a time when Israel is committed to remaining in what it calls the “security zone” inside southern Lebanon, while Washington continues its efforts to preserve the agreement with Iran and prevent the region from sliding into a new confrontation that threatens regional stability.
