The United States sent a diplomatic message to Iran today saying Israel does not plan to escalate its military activity in Lebanon, even after four IDF soldiers were killed in fighting in southern Lebanon. CNN reported the message amid ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. A source involved in the diplomacy said Washington told Tehran that “Hezbollah violated the ceasefire, but Israel is willing to let that go, and that was passed on to the Iranians.” The source added, “Now Hezbollah needs to stop.”
The message came after the IDF carried out a wide overnight strike in southern Lebanon, destroying more than 80 targets and killing dozens of militants. The strikes were retaliation for the deaths of four soldiers, including Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Shimhon, commander of the IDF’s 52nd Armored Battalion. According to reports, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not currently planning another response against Hezbollah, and the Home Front Command has not changed guidance for civilians in northern Israel.
Netanyahu nevertheless said, “My instruction is clear, Israel will not tolerate attacks on our soldiers or on our territory, and it will exact a very heavy price from Hezbollah for these attacks.” He also said, “Israel will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon as long as necessary to protect the communities in the north.”
At the same time, Iran has set a clear condition for resuming talks with the United States in Switzerland, demanding solid guarantees that the fighting in Lebanon will stop. A senior diplomat said Tehran wants assurance that hostilities in southern Lebanon will end in line with the signed ceasefire agreement, and that mediators are now working on the issue. The planned talks, which were to include Vice President J.D. Vance and other senior officials, have been described as temporarily paused because of the Israeli strikes. President Donald Trump said in a recent Axios interview that “Israel loves me, they’ll do what I say,” and claimed he worked to prevent an Israeli attack in Lebanon. Meanwhile, the IDF said it continued operations in southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah’s underground infrastructure in the Beaufort area, command posts, launch positions and other sites in Nabatieh and the Beqaa, while also killing militants who fled on motorcycles after firing rockets at IDF forces.
