Senior US official: Israel withdrawal not included in Iran deal

Defense Minister Israel Katz said the deal is not binding on Israel and stated that the Israel Defense Forces will not withdraw from security zones.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

A senior U.S. official said an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon is not part of the U.S.-Iran agreement, stating that Israel retains the right to self-defense in the event of a Hezbollah attack.

The official said the White House views the agreement as limited to Iran and its allies and does not consider Lebanon to be part of the ceasefire arrangement.

The United States also clarified that the agreement never contained a provision requiring Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon.

This is contrary to an announcement on X by Pakistani Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif that withdrawal from Lebanon would be required.

The comments came as questions continued over whether the U.S.-Iran agreement would affect Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

The senior U.S. official confirmed that an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon is not a condition of the agreement and said the ceasefire framework does not obligate Israel to alter its security posture in the area.

“The deal is a ceasefire, but it will not be a one-way ceasefire. If Iran is not able to control Hezbollah, and if they attack Israeli positions or Israeli towns, Israel will have the right to defend themselves and respond,” the US official says.

Israeli leaders have also rejected the notion that the U.S.-Iran agreement imposes restrictions on Israeli actions. Defense Minister Israel Katz said the deal is not binding on Israel and stated that the Israel Defense Forces will not withdraw from security zones.

Iran had sought to include fighting in Lebanon as part of the arrangement, but the United States maintained that Lebanon was not incorporated into the ceasefire terms.

Hezbollah welcomed the agreement but reiterated its opposition to any continued Israeli presence in southern Lebanon.

The group rejected Israeli deployment in the area and warned that it could withdraw from the truce if Israeli military operations in Lebanon continue.

The U.S. clarification appeared aimed at addressing competing interpretations of the agreement’s scope, with Washington emphasizing that the ceasefire applies to Iran and its allies and does not require Israeli forces to leave southern Lebanon.