IDF strikes Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. (X Screenshot)
New US ambassador to Lebanon says Israel will do whatever it believes it must to defend itself, warning Beirut that it must disarm Hezbollah and end Iran’s influence in the country if it wants to ensure peace on its southern border.
By World Israel News Staff
The United States is not dictating Israel’s security strategy regarding Lebanon and the Hezbollah terror organization, Washington’s new ambassador to Beirut said last week, urging Lebanon to rein in the Iranian-backed Shi’ite terror group in order to prevent a major escalation on the Israel-Lebanon frontier.
On Thursday, Michel Issa, who presented his credentials in Beirut as the new American ambassador on November 17th, spoke with the left-wing Haaretz newspaper in an interview which was published on Saturday.
Issa told the Israeli daily that the Jewish state “does not require the permission of the United States” to take action to defend itself.
“Israel assesses its own security needs and will take whatever measures it deems necessary to protect its citizens.”
In recent weeks, the Trump administration’s push for Israel and Hamas to implement the second phase of the Gaza deal has highlighted American influence over Israel, including limits placed on Israel’s ability to use force inside Lebanon.
Under the terms of the November 2024 ceasefire deal, brokered by the Macron government and Biden administration, Israel has a relatively free hand to strike against immediate security threats south of the Litani River.
However, for action north of the Litani, including in the capital of Beirut, Israel must receive approval from a committee headed by the US which oversees the ceasefire.
Last week, Israel carried out a targeted airstrike on an apartment in the Dahieh neighborhood of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold.
The strike killed Hezbollah’s chief of staff, Haytham Abu Ali Tabatabai, and four other members of the terror group.
Israel reportedly informed the US of its plans to carry out the strike, though it is unclear if it received a green light beforehand.
Issa emphasized that the US would not prevent Israel from securing its northern border, and urged Beirut to fulfill its obligations under the November 2024 agreement, including fully disarming Hezbollah and cracking down on other Iranian-backed armed groups.
The US, Issa said, is “strongly urging them to implement their own historic decision to disarm Hezbollah.”
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