Metula council chief rejects U.S.-Iran deal as Lebanon vehicle strike reported

Metula regional council head David Azulai sharply attacked the U.S. agreement with Iran on Monday morning, saying it also includes a Lebanon ceasefire clause and urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to state that the deal does not bind Israel. His comments came as Lebanese media reported that a vehicle was struck in the Nabatieh area in southern Lebanon.

In an interview with ynet, Azulai said, “We woke up this morning to gunfire and explosions, this is part of the peace.” He said he was “sad that we are falling into this trap again,” and accused the prime minister of not acting in Israel’s interest. “I am sad about the prices we paid, in the end for nothing,” he said, adding that in his view “we are today in a much worse situation than before October 7 in the north.”

Azulai said Hezbollah was rearming and “going back to its old ways,” and argued that the group must be finished “once and for all.” He said there are almost no disputes with the Lebanese people, but complained that Lebanon had no voice in the Iran-U.S. deal. He also said he hoped Netanyahu would “come to his senses,” though he doubted it.

He called on the IDF to keep operating in Lebanon without regard for U.S. positions, saying it should act “24 hours a day, in the air, at sea and on land.” He also called for talks to be brought closer to Israel and upgraded in status. Separately, Israeli officials said Netanyahu told U.S. President Donald Trump that Israel does not consider itself bound by the deal’s “Lebanese clause,” will not withdraw from Lebanon, and will keep current positions while working to thwart Hezbollah threats, including destroying terror infrastructure and responding to any attack. Ministers in the cabinet backed that stance, and Israeli officials said the overnight assessment was that Iran decided not to attack Israel after American and mediator pressure.