The IDF is preparing for a possible halt to its operations in Lebanon after a new memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, and Israeli defense officials are warning against allowing the Lebanon and Iran arenas to merge. The agreement, published in full Wednesday evening after being signed overnight, says the two sides are to stop military activity immediately and permanently across all fronts, including Lebanon, which is mentioned three times in the first clause.
According to the report, the IDF is advising Israel's political leadership to move quickly with the Lebanese government and the Americans to reach an arrangement that is not dictated by Washington. Senior security officials told Channel 12 before the deal was signed that "Iran must not be given a gain from the signing," calling any U.S. condition linking the Lebanon file to the agreement "unbearable" because it weakens deterrence. They added, "The Americans gave us a new ladder last month and we did not use it," and argued that the next step must be diplomatic action that protects Israel's security interests.
The army is also worried by Donald Trump's suggestion that Syria's regime under Ahmad al-Sharaa should handle Hezbollah. While officials were not surprised by the idea, they said they are very concerned and insist that bringing Syria into the deal "must be prevented." In parallel, the IDF is still holding positions on the yellow line in southern Lebanon and is expected to remain there for the next 60 days, even if no fighting takes place.
Israeli officials say that keeping a presence in southern Lebanon is meant to preserve calm for residents of the north and prepare for a gradual withdrawal, which they say would only be possible once there is an agreement that safeguards Israel's interests. The article says the most immediate issue in the memorandum is the promise of an immediate and permanent end to military activity, including in Lebanon, while the most significant concession for Iran is that the U.S. Treasury would issue a waiver allowing Iran to export crude oil and related products without restriction during negotiations, potentially bringing in billions of shekels, and may also grant access to frozen funds abroad.
