IDF Chief Tells Netanyahu: We Must Stand Firm Against Trump

Even after the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, the fighting in the north continues, and the political-security cabinet convened. The main evening broadcast published tonight, Thursday, for the first time the quotes from last night’s narrow cabinet meeting, during which IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unusually harsh things. "We must stand firm against President Trump," Zamir said. "In a moment we will need American approval for every step in southern Lebanon."

The chief of staff was not the only one who objected to the fact that the president of the United States is effectively running Israeli policy in Lebanon. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said more bluntly to Netanyahu: "So there was a shouting match, so there was a cursing match, so what? We need to know how to say no to Trump."

The chief of staff presented several alternatives for action in Lebanon during the discussion, and opinions were divided. Defense Minister Israel Katz, unlike the prime minister’s position, supports expanding the operation, as does Ben Gvir, while Netanyahu and Shas chairman Aryeh Deri are opposed. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar was absent from the meeting. The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said it does not comment on what is said in classified discussions.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem issued a written statement this afternoon on the anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini, rejecting the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon. "The Washington declaration outlines the principles of Israel and the United States for Lebanon’s submission to the ‘Greater Israel’ project," he wrote. "We do not agree to any linkage between the existence of the resistance and the end of the aggression and Israel’s withdrawal."

"As long as the occupation exists, the resistance continues," Qassem added. "We have not given anyone a commitment not to resist aggression and not to respond to it. As long as the aggression continues, we will confront it with all the force available to us, and we will strike it wherever we decide and can. As long as our villages are not safe, are bombed and destroyed, and our people are killed, the settlements will not be safe, and they will yet see our courage and strength."

Meanwhile, alarms were activated throughout the day in communities along the confrontation line on the northern border, and the IDF said suspicious aerial targets were identified and fell in the area where forces are operating in southern Lebanon. In a joint statement by Israel and Lebanon issued by the U.S. State Department in the early morning, it was said that the ceasefire depends on a complete halt to fire by Hezbollah and the removal of all its operatives from the areas south of the Litani River. The sides agreed to resume the diplomatic and security track in the week of June 22 in order to reach a comprehensive agreement.

It was also decided, at the end of the fourth round of talks between Israel and Lebanon, to accelerate the establishment of pilot zones, where the Lebanese Army will receive exclusive control over the area, while removing all armed elements that do not belong to the state, including Hezbollah. In a statement by the U.S. State Department, issued on behalf of the three countries, it was written: "The states reiterated that the future of relations between Israel and Lebanon must be determined by the two sovereign governments. They rejected any attempt, by any state or non-state actor, to hold Lebanon’s future hostage."