Israeli Defense Minister Katz Blames Trump for Halting Attacks on Hezbollah in Beirut

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's policies regarding negotiations with Iran and Lebanon, marking his first public remarks since the Israel-Lebanon framework agreement was signed. Speaking to military reporters on Saturday, Katz stated that due to Trump, Israel stopped attacking Beirut and Hezbollah. He accused Trump of linking the Iranian and Lebanese arenas out of American interests, saying, "I regret this connection," but emphasized it was a U.S. interest that Trump strongly wanted to promote to enable negotiations with Iran.

Katz explained that Trump viewed fighting in Lebanon as a hindrance and that this policy of linking the arenas effectively saved Hezbollah from a severe blow. Earlier in the month, Katz had threatened during a defense export conference that if Israeli communities continued to be attacked, Israel would retaliate by striking the Shiite Dahieh district in Beirut. He claimed the U.S. had violated this principle and informed the Lebanese government and relevant parties accordingly.

Despite Trump's opposition to escalating tensions in Lebanon, Katz reaffirmed the security equation set by Trump: if attacks on Israeli communities cease or if attacks continue and Israel strikes Dahieh, the equation would hold. Katz stressed that there would be no attacks on Israeli communities without a strong response against Dahieh and that Israeli Defense Forces operations inside Lebanon would continue regardless.