JD Vance sparks anger with attacks on Israel

Members of Congress and academics expressed outrage over JD Vance’s criticism of Israel in a statement he delivered at the White House.

The harsh criticism leveled against Israel by U.S. Vice President JD Vance has sparked angry reactions. Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida wrote: “Israel is our greatest ally and strongest partner in the Middle East. The evil Iranian regime wants to wipe BOTH of us off the face of the Earth. That will never happen because we will ALWAYS stand together." “America’s unwavering support for Israel’s defense helps make the America First agenda possible, the U.S. stronger, and the world a safer place," he stressed.

Professor Jeffrey Lax of New York University, a prominent activist for the Jewish community and in the fight against antisemitism and discrimination against pro-Israel professors and students, was even sharper in his criticism. “The most sickening part of JD Vance 's mid-book tour press conference? Right here, where he accuses Israel(!) of attacking civilian population centers in Beirut when every honest person on earth knows it is exactly the other way around," Lax said. “This man CANNOT be our next president," Lax declared.

The criticism was also echoed by the “Green Prince," Mosab Hassan Yousef, who lives in the United States. Israel is not a client state. It is a sovereign, independent, and powerful nation.Its strength has never depended on any foreign leader, it comes from its own people. While the partnership with the United States has been valuable, Israel has never been a burden. It has delivered massive contributions to American technology, medicine, cybersecurity, and defense, far beyond what most Americans realize. At a moment when America is facing deep internal and external challenges, turning against one of its most capable and loyal allies is not just shortsighted, it is self-destructive. Those who believe they are weakening Israel by attacking it are actually weakening America’s own interests," Yousef said.

During a White House briefing yesterday (Thursday), Vance claimed that Israel was bombing Lebanon indiscriminately. "The president is sometimes frustrated that when we are at a breakthrough toward an agreement - there is a major explosion in Beirut and many people who are not connected to Hezbollah lose their lives. That is not acceptable to us - and Israel needs to make sure that does not happen," Vance said.

The vice president also criticized Israeli cabinet ministers, saying: “If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have in the entire world." He claimed that two-thirds of the weapons that defended Israel “were developed in the United States and funded by the American taxpayer." He added: “Anyone who thinks Israel’s problem is Donald Trump needs to wake up." “We speak with Bibi and members of the Israeli government almost every day, and Trump has been very clear that he is not denying Israel’s right to self-defense. The Israelis, like all sides, must respect this peace process," Vance added. (Ed note: Wow. Any reactions to that?)  (Source)

4 soldiers killed in battle in Lebanon

Four IDF soldiers fell in battle early Friday morning in Kfar Tebnit in southern Lebanon. The IDF cleared for publication that one of the fallen is LTC Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, aged 32, from Beit HaShita, the commander of the 52nd Battalion, 401st Brigade. The families of the other fallen soldiers have been notified, and their names have not yet been cleared for publication. They will be released at a later time.
An initial inquiry into the incident found that around 12:20 a.m., a suspicious target, either a drone or an anti-tank missile, struck a 52nd Battalion tank that was operating under the command of the Givati Brigade Combat Team in Kfar Tebnit, killing the four soldiers. In a second incident, at approximately 4:00 a.m. in the Beoufort area near Tebnit, an explosive drone struck troops from the Commando Brigade. Five soldiers were wounded, one severely.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog lamented: "This is a very difficult and painful morning. With profound grief, we learned of the terrible news that four of our nation’s sons fell in battle in Lebanon, including LTC Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, the Commander of the 52nd Battalion, 401st Brigade." He continued, “About two months ago, after the Battalion Commander, LTC Y., was severely wounded in combat, Dor took command upon himself, and from that point led his soldiers at the front with determination and responsibility.

"LTC Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon and the additional three fallen soldiers, whose names have not yet been cleared for publication, join a long and unbearably painful list of the daughters and sons who have fallen in defense of our homeland and people. Each one was an entire world, with dreams, hopes, and aspirations cut down in their prime. “Together with the whole of the people of Israel, we embrace their beloved and precious families and send them our heartfelt condolences at this difficult moment. We pray for the recovery of the wounded and for the well-being of all IDF soldiers and security forces. May the memory of our heroes be blessed," Herzog concluded. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent condolences to the families of the fallen and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded in the exchanges of fire yesterday. (Read More)

IDF Unleashes Massive Retaliation Strike After Four Soldiers Killed: Over 80 Hezbollah Targets Destroyed in Single Night

Israel struck more than 80 Hezbollah command posts and launch sites across southern Lebanon overnight • Dozens of terrorists killed in precision airstrikes • The massive operation followed the deaths of four IDF soldiers, including battalion commander Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon | Full details of the retaliatory campaign (Israel News)

The Israeli Air Force executed one of its most extensive strike campaigns in southern Lebanon in recent weeks, destroying more than 80 Hezbollah targets in a single night and eliminating dozens of terrorists in what military officials described as a direct response to repeated ceasefire violations by the Iranian-backed terror organization. The massive retaliatory operation came hours after four IDF soldiers, including a senior tank battalion commander, were killed in a Hezbollah attack in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Tebnit. The IDF confirmed that Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, 32, commander of the 52nd Battalion of the 401st Armored Brigade, was among those killed when a suspected drone or anti-tank missile struck his tank shortly after midnight.

According to the IDF statement, Israeli warplanes struck command headquarters, rocket launch positions, and terror infrastructure across the Nabatieh region and multiple other areas in southern Lebanon's security zone and beyond. The strikes targeted facilities where Hezbollah operatives were actively operating at the time of the attacks, resulting in dozens of terrorist casualties. In addition to the extensive operations in the Nabatieh sector, Israeli aircraft struck two Hezbollah command posts in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley region. Military sources confirmed the facilities were actively occupied by terror operatives when the strikes were carried out, marking a significant expansion of Israel's operational reach beyond the immediate border zone.

The IDF emphasized that the campaign was launched in direct response to what it characterized as systematic and repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement by Hezbollah. Israeli forces operating north of the Litani River continue their mission to dismantle the strategic underground infrastructure that Hezbollah constructed over years along the border area. In a separate incident during the night, the IDF identified Hezbollah terrorists launching rockets toward Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon. In what military officials described as rapid operational closure, Israeli aircraft eliminated two terrorists who attempted to flee the launch site on a motorcycle. The IDF subsequently destroyed the rocket launcher from which the projectiles had been fired. (Ed note: Uh Oh. Is Israel in trouble after defending itself against an attack from Hezbollah? Will Iran use this to end the MoU?)   (Read More)

Vance: Israeli critics of Trump need to ‘wake up’ to their situation, he’s ‘only head of state’ who still likes Israel

US Vice President JD Vance closes out his White House press conference on the US-Iran memorandum of understanding by lashing out at Israeli critics of the deal once more, claiming that US President Donald Trump is the only world leader who retains sympathy for Israel and that the US is the only “powerful ally” it still has. He adds that many of Israel’s arms are manufactured in the US, and says Israelis focused on criticizing Trump need to “wake up and smell the reality of the situation that country is in.”

He notes that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refrained from criticizing the deal in conversations with him, but adds, using the premier’s nickname, “What I will say, and this does bother me, is that you have seen people within Bibi’s cabinet who have come out and attacked the deal, and in some ways very personally attacked the president of the United States.”

He adds, “Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time. And he happens to be the head of state of the world’s superpower. If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world.”

He continues, addressing Israeli critics, “Over the last three months, two-thirds of the defensive weapons that have protected your homeland have been built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars.” Since the beginning of the Gaza war following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack, a growing chorus of voices in the US have taken a critical tone toward — if not outright opposed — US military aid to Israel, which once enjoyed broad support in Washington. Netanyahu has proposed phasing it out over a decade-long period. (Ed note: Take that, Israel! According to JD, the only reason Israel is alive today is because of Amerian tax payer dollars.)  (Read More)

Israel and Iran harden stances on Lebanon pullout, risking Trump’s deal

Iranian official says MOU will be void if IDF does not fully withdraw, while source close to PM vows not to back down; army posts fresh map of buffer zone, says troops will remain.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman warned Thursday that a continued IDF presence in southern Lebanon would mean the “annulment” of the memorandum of understanding it signed with the United States, as Israel doubled down on its plans to keep troops in the area amid its ongoing conflict with the Hezbollah terror group. Speaking to the Hezbollah-aligned Lebanese news outlet Al Akhbar, Esmaeil Baghaei said the continuation of Israel’s offensive would be a violation of the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran that was signed this week.

“It was not acceptable for us to abandon our brothers in Lebanon,” the spokesman said. “We cannot talk about ending the war while parts of Lebanese territory remain under the occupation of the Zionist entity. As long as the occupation continues, it can be said that the war is still in place and has not ended in essence.” The signed memorandum affirms a commitment to Lebanon’s territorial integrity in the face of Israel’s ground operation against the terror group. The clause has proven thorny as Israel refuses to withdraw from wide swaths of southern Lebanon, saying it will not cede the ground to Hezbollah, which has long held sway in the country’s south and from which it has been firing missiles and drones at Israel.

An official close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Reuters that Israel had been “conducting stubborn negotiations” with the US on the issue of maintaining its deployment in Lebanon.srael has no intention of backing down on its positions, the official said, amid continued hostilities between IDF troops and the terror group. US and Iranian negotiators were set to meet Friday in the Swiss resort town of Burgenstock for initial talks on Iran’s nuclear program and other outstanding disputes. The negotiations outlined in the memorandum are meant to result in a final deal within a 60-day time frame. But Baghaei appeared to rule out any progress in talks so long as Israel pressed on with its offensive against Hezbollah,

“The second phase of our negotiations will begin to reach a final agreement, and this final agreement will be achieved only if the memorandum of understanding is fully implemented, which, in our view, means the complete cessation of attacks and the end of the occupation,” Baghaei said. “The Zionist entity does not want to provide any opportunity for any diplomatic path to calm the situation in our region,” the official charged, asserting that the US was responsible for “obliging” Israel to respect the memorandum. (Ed note: One can see where this is going. Hezbollah will strike at the IDF and of course, the IDF will retailate thus making Iran and President Trump very mad. Iran will then call off the treaty negotiations and Israel will be the villain, the bad guy, and everything will be the fault of Israel.)  (Read more)

JD Vance attacks, Ben Gvir fires back

US Vice President defends MOU with Iran, criticizes opponents of the agreement in Israel, and calls on Israel “not to go wild" in southern Lebanon.

US Vice President JD Vance addressed criticism in Israel of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran in an interview with The New York Times, and defended the agreement promoted by President Donald Trump. Vance said he had not heard direct criticism of the agreement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Maybe I missed it, but I don’t think Bibi himself has actually criticized the deal. Because I think he’s maybe a little more familiar with the details of what’s in it," he said.

He then addressed criticism voiced by ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. “People in their system, like Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, attacked the deal. My response to them would be: What exactly is your proposal? You can’t just kill your way out of solving every national security problem you have," he said.Vance claimed that the criticism in Israel stems from a lack of trust, adding that in his view the United States has proven its commitment to Israel over the years. According to him, the claim that this is a bad agreement “is not supported by the facts" and does not align with the depth of the relationship between the two countries.

The vice president also addressed the situation in Iran, saying that “the moderate side in Iran, which wants a better relationship with the West, has won the internal debate in recent months." According to him, under the agreement, Iran will not be able to maintain a missile program that threatens the entire world. He further noted that the United States expects Israel “not to go wild" in southern Lebanon, while maintaining its right to defend itself. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir responded to the remarks on X, writing in English: “Here is the proposal, JD Vance: deal with the Nazis of the 21st century the same way the United States dealt with the Nazis of the 20th century." (Source)

"I Had a Different Opinion": Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Breaks Silence on the American Peace Pact

Breaking his prolonged public silence, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei released a formal written declaration confirming his reluctant authorization of the sweeping fourteen point memorandum of understanding, while claiming US President Donald Trump finalized the treaty purely out of economic and political weakness.

The supreme political authority of the Islamic Republic of Iran has delivered its first official assessment regarding the newly finalized fourteen point memorandum of understanding with the United States, revealing internal executive hesitation before ultimately ratifying the controversial international framework. Breaking hours of strategic silence following the digital execution of the treaty by the White House, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a comprehensive written communiqué directly to state media networks. The highly calculated messaging sought to project a position of regional strength, framing the sweeping maritime and economic concessions granted by the American administration as a desperate geopolitical necessity for Washingtonrather than a diplomatic capitulation by the regime in Tehran.

The written address materialized immediately after the White House officially confirmed that the US president had digitally finalized the sweeping diplomatic document during an executive stopover in Paris, placing the fourteen point framework into immediate statutory effect. Refraining from a public, televised appearance, the Iranian leader utilized his written declaration to shape the regional narrative surrounding the sudden end of the economic containment protocols. Khamenei observed that as you know, a memorandum of understanding has been signed between the presidents of Iran and the United States, before asserting that it was the American president who, out of weakness and need, took all available measures to achieve this goal.

The core of the executive message centered on the deep policy friction that occurred within the regime's high commands ahead of the formal signing ceremony, confirming that top clerical leaders harbored severe reservations regarding the long term non proliferation parameters. The supreme leader explicitly acknowledged his initial personal opposition to the diplomatic roadmap, revealing the internal political trade offs required to secure his final sovereign authorization. Khamenei stated that in principle, I had a different opinion, but I gave approval following a commitment given to me by the president, in his role as chairman of the Supreme National Security Council, on his behalf and on behalf of the council members, to preserve the rights of the Iranian people and the resistance front. (Read More)

Trump says he expects 'complete ceasefire' with Hezbollah

In a series of social media posts, US President Donald Trump claims America is 'committed to peace,' accuses 'fools' who think he hasn't been tough enough on Iran of being 'either jealous, bad people, or stupid.'

US President Donald Trump on Thursday evening said that he expects a "complete ceasefire," including between Hezbollah and Israel. In a post on his Truth Social network, Trump wrote, "The United States is committed to PEACE, and we encourage everyone in the Middle East Region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations to beautifully unfold. The Markets are loving what is happening with Oil Prices way down, and Stocks way up."

"We expect a complete Ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" The memorandum of understanding, meanwhile, says that the signing of the declares "the immediate and permanent termination" of fighting, including in Lebanon, and "ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon." But, it adds that, "The final deal will confirm the permanent termination of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and other provisions of this paragraph."

Earlier on Thursday, the Israeli Air Force intercepted several rockets launched toward IDF soldiers operating in southern Lebanon. Several additional rockets fell adjacent to the soldiers. No injuries were reported. On Wednesday, a Hezbollah drone launched towards IDF forces left one Israeli soldier dead and seven others injured.In an earlier Truth Social post on Thursday, Trump claimed, "There is no 300 Billion Dollar payment to Iran by the U.S. That’s Fake News! All there is for the U.S. is Success, Lower Oil Prices, and Victory. Check out the Stock Market. Dumocrat propaganda at play!!!"

On Thursday afternoon, he insisted, "Oil is flowing, Iran can never have a nuclear weapon (the world will be safe!), the stock markets are roaring, jobs are at records, and prices are dropping (affordability!). Our country is strong, safe, and respected like never before. 'You're welcome!'" A separate post accused, "These fools, who think I haven’t been tough enough on Iran, when the Stock Market Just Hit A RECORD HIGH, and Oil prices are 'tumbling' down, are either jealous, bad people, or stupid. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!" (Source)

Trump’s deal is a catastrophic capitulation to Iran’s aggressors, leaves Israel vulnerable and constrained

In the US president’s reality-challenged view, Israel is an ingrate and a warmonger, while Iran’s mass-murdering leaders are ‘very rational.’ They are indeed all too rational, and he, clearly, is not.

On March 2, the third day of the US-Israel war against Iran, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff gave an interview to Fox News in which he explained why the administration’s efforts to negotiate a deal with the regime in Tehran earlier in the year had failed. He and Jared Kushner, Witkoff recalled, had been tasked with seeking an agreement under which Iran would halt its nuclear program, dismantle its ballistic missile program, cease its support for proxies, and eliminate its navy “so we can have freedom of the seas.”

Far from entertaining a willingness to compromise, despite having been battered in the June 2025 12-day war, said Witkoff, the Iranian negotiators bragged that their obduracy and duplicity had been paying off. On the nuclear front, they gloated, they had amassed 460 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, which, Witkoff noted in his interview, could be turned into weapons-grade within 10 days “In that first meeting, both the Iranian negotiators said to us directly — with no shame — that they controlled 460 kilograms of 60% [enriched uranium] and that they’re aware that could make 11 nuclear bombs,” Witkoff recalled, aghast. The Iranians, he exclaimed, “were proud that they had evaded all sorts of oversight protocols to get to a place where they could deliver 11 nuclear bombs.”

They also claimed to have “an inalienable right” to enrich their nuclear fuel,” he noted, saying that he and Kushner had responded, robustly, by declaring “that the president feels we have the inalienable right to stop you dead in your tracks.” Fast-forward three and a half months, and the US will on Friday formally sign a memorandum of understanding with Iran, already signed digitally long-distance, that resolves none of the goals of the war — none of the goals that Witkoff and Kushner attempted to resolve in their negotiated effort to avert the war.

...US sources have vouchsafed in recent days that CIA Director John Ratcliffe has warned Trump and his key officials that the regime is playing a double game. The CIA chief has reportedly explained that evidence gathered by US intelligence agencies raises serious doubts that Iran would be willing to make the nuclear concessions that the US wants in any final deal. “The intelligence reflects that the Iranian intentions are not in line with their commitments under the deal,” one US source told Axios. “Not in line with their commitments.” What magnificent understatement. (Ed note: Please note that this long, complete, and complex article is from the very liberal Times of Israel newspaper. Even the Times doesn't like the MoU.)  (Read More)

 

Iran won the war against US and Israel, chief negotiator Ghalibaf claims

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf declares victory over the US and Israel, claims the Strait of Hormuz has permanently entered a new reality.

During a state television broadcast on Wednesday, Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf declared that Iran emerged triumphant in its recent armed conflict against the United States and Israel. Characterizing the hostilities through an ideological lens, the legislative leader framed the fighting as a clash of ultimate values. “The recent war was a war between the front of truth and falsehood," Ghalibaf said.

He insisted that the resistance managed to thwart the strategic goals of the nation's adversaries, asserting“We did not allow the United States and Israel to achieve the nine goals they set out from the start of the war." Reflecting on his approach to international relations, Ghalibaf noted that his willingness to engage in statecraft is rooted entirely in a position of leverage. “When I talk about negotiation and diplomacy, I mean diplomacy of power," Ghalibaf said, adding that he supported negotiations that were themselves “a form of struggle."

The chief negotiator positioned himself as the ultimate skeptic of Washington's political establishment, noting that he directly communicated his deep reservations to US Vice President JD Vance. Ghalibaf recalled informing the American leader that he possessed “not the slightest trust" in him. Addressing the geopolitical reality of the world's most critical energy shipping corridor, Ghalibaf referenced his previous public remarks concerning the vital maritime lane. 

...In the meantime, the United States commits to lifting the naval blockade and removing any other interference or restrictions it has imposed on Iran, as well as distancing its forces from the region. Iran agreed to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels, free of charge, for only 60 days, from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and in the opposite direction. (Read More)

Full Text of U.S.-Iran MOU Released — And It's Worse Than Advertised

The official 14-point U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding grants Tehran oil revenues, frozen assets, and a ceasefire in Lebanon, before Iran makes a single nuclear concession. The official text of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran was released to journalists Wednesday evening by a senior White House official, after days of conflicting reports about its contents — and a close reading of the 14-point document reveals concessions that go further than even the most critical early assessments suggested.

The memorandum is due to be formally signed Friday in Switzerland, triggering a 60-day window to negotiate the final terms of a deal. On Sunday, the two sides electronically signed the agreement, which Pakistan helped broker, with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance signing for the United States and Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf signing for Iran. The White House had spent days dismissing leaked versions of the text as "fake news." The official document released Wednesday is, in key respects, harder on the United States than what had been reported.

The agreement declares the "immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon," with both sides committing not to initiate any war or military operation against each other, and to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The implications for Israel are stark. A commitment to Lebanon's "territorial integrity" is a direct demand that IDF forces withdraw from southern Lebanon. Targeted operations against Hezbollah operatives would also fall under the ceasefire's scope. Trump has, in effect, signed off on a full Israeli withdrawal, and a full halt to military pressure on Hezbollah. (Read More)

US-Iran MoU will leave enriched uranium in Iran to be diluted, leaked text reveals

Iran and the United States agreed in their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that Iran's enriched nuclear material will not be removed from the country, with it being diluted inside Iran under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The MoU also states that, upon signing, "a mechanism will be agreed upon under which the United States will make available to Iran the funds and assets that have been frozen." Apparently, according to the leaked text, the agreement will not require significant steps before those funds are released.

This is mentioned in articles 8 to 14 of the memorandum, which establishes limits on US forces in the region and states that negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program will be conducted during the period following the signing of the agreement. It also determines that the “US Department of Treasury will issue waivers for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives,” and it will release the frozen or restricted Iranian funds. 

 
What does the MoU say? 

  

The first article of the MoU, as revealed on Tuesday, states that signing the agreement will stop “military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon. Articles 2 and 3 establish an understanding between the US and Iran over each other’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity,” while it gives a 60-day timeframe, which is extendable with mutual consent," to make a final deal.

Articles 4 and 5 address the Strait of Hormuz issue, determining the immediate lift of the US blockade and an Iranian compromise to “make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge.” Article 6 focuses on economic relief and the lifting of sanctions, and it states that the US will implement a $300 billion plan to support the reconstruction and economic development of Iran. The agreement text also determines that the final resolution will be endorsed by a binding United Nations Security Council resolution. (Source)

Trump Signs Iran Deal, Tehran Immediately Says Enriched Uranium Will Stay in Iran

The U.S. and Iran have signed a digital memorandum of understanding to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but Tehran is already drawing a red line on the most sensitive issue: its enriched nuclear material. The United States and Iran have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the current war, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and launching a 60-day track toward a final nuclear agreement, according to U.S. officials and regional reports. The agreement was reportedly signed electronically by both sides, with President Donald Trump signing from France and the document then transferred through mediators to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

But almost immediately after the signing, Tehran made clear that it has no intention of surrendering its enriched uranium. Iran’s Foreign Ministry stressed that the enriched nuclear material will remain inside Iran and will not be transferred abroad, a position that could become the central point of confrontation in the next stage of negotiations. The memorandum, according to the reported text, declares an immediate and permanent end to military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon. It also commits both sides to avoid further military action, respect sovereignty, and begin negotiations toward a final agreement within 60 days. One of the most urgent parts of the deal concerns the Strait of Hormuz. Under the memorandum, Iran is expected to restore safe commercial passage through the strait, while the United States begins removing its naval blockade and related restrictions. 

The deal also provides for the gradual return of maritime traffic and technical steps, including mine-clearing, within 30 days The economic side of the agreement is no less dramatic. The memorandum reportedly includes a U.S.-led reconstruction and development plan for Iran worth at least $300 billion, along with a framework for sanctions relief, oil-export permissions, and access to frozen Iranian assets. The nuclear section is the most politically explosive. Iran reaffirms that it will not produce or acquire nuclear weapons, but the agreement does not require Tehran to ship its enriched uranium out of the country. Instead, the reported framework speaks of handling the material through an agreed mechanism, with downblending inside Iran under International Atomic Energy Agency supervision. (Read More)

Report: Trump said Netanyahu unhandleable, 'wants to blow up everyone'

According to the Wall Street Journal, Donald Trump privately clashed with Benjamin Netanyahu over Iran, Lebanon, and further military action.

US President Donald Trump voiced frustration with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a series of private phone calls in recent weeks, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Thursday. The report said the conversations became increasingly tense as Trump pushed for a diplomatic arrangement with Iran while Netanyahu repeatedly argued for a tougher approach and warned against trusting Iranian commitments.

According to the report, one point of contention involved Israeli military activity in Lebanon. During one conversation, Trump reportedly told Netanyahu, “Stop targeting buildings," reflecting growing irritation over Israeli actions despite a ceasefire. In other calls, Trump expressed concern that the conflict with Iran could have economic repercussions for the United States. The report said he became increasingly focused on the potential costs of a prolonged confrontation and was less receptive to arguments for additional military action.

According to the report, Trump told advisers thatNetanyahu frequently pressed for further operations. According to a person who heard the remarks, Trump complained that no one could handle Netanyahu and said that the Israeli leader “wants to bomb everyone." A senior administration official quoted in the report said many of their discussions followed a similar pattern, with Netanyahu presenting reasons for additional action and Trump listening to those arguments. (Ed note: Hey, President Trump! It is well known that both Hezbollah and Hamas like to hide in civilian BUILDINGS such as hospitals, schools or apartment buildings.)    (Read More)

Why on Earth would Trump endorse Iran's ballistic missile program - comment

Trump’s comments backing Iran’s ballistic missile program have sparked concern, with critics warning they could undermine key security gains from recent regional conflict.

There is an ongoing heated debate about the positives and negatives of US President Donald Trump's new deal with Iran - a debate that will likely be resolved by whether a few major nuclear issues are properly resolved in the next several months. But on Wednesday, Trump thrust himself into a major and unnecessary unforced error, actually proactively endorsing Iran keeping its ballistic missile program.

To understand why this statement was so much worse than anything else which has happened to date related to the deal, one needs to understand that the main reason Israel went to war in February of this year was not because of regime change (which was long shot), and not even because of the nuclear threat (which was already hammered in June 2025), but to get Tehran to back off an existential ballistic missile threat.

To clarify further, if the problem were just Iran having one or two missiles, as Trump seemed to be implying, there would be no problem. Iran had 2,500-3,000 missiles for decades, and Israel was ready and able to defend against such an arsenal. But in late 2024/early 2025, Iran learned how to hyper-speed up its ballistic missile production pace to 200-300 per month, something which could have gotten it to 4,000-6,000 missiles in 2026 and 8,000-10,000 missiles in 2027-2028.

Long before 2027, it appears that Iran would have hit a volume of missiles that Israel could not have defended sufficiently. When Trump said that missiles can hit one target, but cannot destroy the world, he is either showing shocking ignorance or is trying to aggressively pull the curtain down over the public's eyes. Israelis saw up close that one Iranian ballistic missile - as opposed to a weak Hamas or Hezbollah rocket - can destroy eight homes at once, wound dozens of people, and damage hundreds of nearby residences with the shock wave. (Read More)

Facts on the ground: IDF publishes map of Lebanon Security Zone

The IDF on Thursday published an official map portraying the Security Zone in which IDF troops are operating. The IDF noted that due to operational requirements, it is deployed in the Security Zone, approximately 10 kilometers inside Lebanese territory. The map shows that the IDF has not recently withdrawn from any territory in southern Lebanon. The IDF Spokesperson Unit emphasized that “the maritime security zone is a continuation of the land security zone and extends out to sea on a bearing of 280 degrees, in accordance with the decision of the political leadership."

The statement implies that the IDF has the freedom of action to remove threats even beyond the security zone if necessary. However, the current assessment is that the military will avoid carrying out strikes deep inside Lebanon or in the capital, Beirut.

The military added that soldiers are stationed in the designated area of operation in southern Lebanon, and will continue to remove threats and strengthen the defense of Israel’s northern residents. (Source)

Five soldiers wounded, one severely, in Hezbollah drone attack

Explosive drone hits Givati force operating in southern Lebanon, injuring four. Additional drone strikes evacuation crew, injuring an additional soldier.

An IDF soldier was severely injured, two IDF soldiers were moderately injured, and two additional soldiers were lightly injured on Wednesday as a result of an explosive drone impact in southern Lebanon. The soldiers were evacuated to receive medical treatment at a hospital, and their families have been notified.

An inquiry into the incident found that at around 6:00 a.m., an explosive drone detonated near a Givati Brigade Combat Team tank in the Kfar Tebnit area of southern Lebanon. Shrapnel from the explosion injured four soldiers, who were airlifted to receive medical treatment at a hospital.

Several minutes later, an additional drone exploded on the evacuation vehicle. As a result, another soldier was injured. He, too, was evacuated by helicopter. During the incident, a total of five soldiers were evacuated for medical treatment. IDF forces responded with artillery fire at terrorist infrastructure in the area. This is the first incident since the signing of the deal between the United States and Iran in which IDF soldiers were injured in a Hezbollah attack. (Ed note: Hezbollah has fired drones at IDF troops, and they are expected not to strike back? What is Trump and Iran thinking?) (Source)

Hezbollah expecting major cash injection from Iran once deal sealed with US — sources

Iran’s interim deal with the US looks set to bolster Hezbollah’s political and financial hand in Lebanon, with Tehran promising more funding for its ally once cash starts to flow, according to four sources familiar with ties between Tehran and the terror group. A cash infusion to Hezbollah could help it recover from heavy wartime losses and deliver a setback to Israel, which dealt the Iran-backed terror group crushing blows in a 2024 war and has campaigned against sanctions relief for Tehran.

The US-Iranian memorandum of understanding (MOU), due to be signed on Friday, is expected to halt hostilities across all fronts, mediator Pakistan has said, although its terms have not been made public. The halt to fighting — at Iran’s insistence — includes Lebanon, where Hezbollah fired at Israel in solidarity with Tehran on March 2, igniting an Israeli offensive into southern Lebanon, in a conflict that has unfolded in parallel to the wider US-Iran confrontation.

The situation in southern Lebanon remains volatile. Iran warned Israel on Tuesday to expect an Iranian military response if it did not stop attacks in the south, where Israel has said it will keep troops, and violence, albeit much reduced, has continued. The ceasefire in Lebanon leaves Hezbollah politically emboldened after two years of setbacks, including the fall of Hezbollah’s Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. It also corners Lebanon’s US-backed government, which failed in its own efforts to secure a broader ceasefire in face-to-face talks with Israeli officials in Washington over the past two months as a pathway to curbing Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel. (Read More)

The Trump-Bibi Dynamic Is Starting to Look Abusive

Trump curses Netanyahu publicly, says "without me there'd be no Israel" - and Bibi keeps smiling. Something is wrong with this picture.

There is a dynamic playing out at the highest levels of global diplomacy that, if you strip away the suits and summits, looks uncomfortably familiar. One party screams, humiliates, and betrays. The other apologizes, flatters, and comes back for more.This week at the G7 summit in Évian, Donald Trump told reporters that without him, "there'd be no Israel." He said Israel "would have been blown off the face of the earth." He said every smart Israeli knows this. Then, in almost the same breath, he called his relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu "unbelievable."

Hours earlier, he had told Axios something rather different. "Why did Bibi have to do a f---ing attack? I was so p***ed off. I let him know. He has no f---ing judgment. I let him know that," Trump said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. That is the American president. Speaking about the leader of America's closest ally in the Middle East. In those words. And Netanyahu? He said the relationship was strong. He expressed gratitude. He praised Trump's contribution to Israel's security. He did not push back publicly. He never does. 

This has been the pattern for years, and it is worth naming clearly.

Trump froze Netanyahu out entirely after Netanyahu congratulated Biden on winning the 2020 election, doing what any head of state would do in acknowledging the incoming president of the United States. Trump was furious. "Nobody did more for Bibi. And I liked Bibi," he said. "But I also like loyalty." He reportedly told an Israeli journalist: "F--- him," and said he hadn't spoken to Netanyahu since. Netanyahu, for his part, spent the next several years trying to win his way back into Trump's good graces.

He succeeded. And then this week happened.

Trump's phone call with Netanyahu over Lebanon became heated, with Trump using expletives to convey his disapproval of Israel's military plans, which threatened to derail negotiations with Iran. Publicly, Trump said Israel was "fighting Hezbollah for too long and too many people are being killed," and added, "I've had a great relationship with Bibi, but now Bibi has to be more responsible." Then came the line that should have landed harder than it did in Jerusalem's political circles: "Without me, there'd be no Israel," Trump said at the G7. "Because no other president was willing to do what I did." (Ed note: Without God, there would be no America or Trump. Be very careful with our future, Mr. President.)  (Read More)

‘Without me, there would be no Israel,’ Netanyahu ‘has to be more responsible’ with Lebanon, Trump says at G7

The U.S. president told reporters that he intends to read his agreement with the Iranian regime “word by word” publicly to set the record straight.

Amid extensive controversy and speculation about the contents of a memorandum of understanding with the Iranian regime, which U.S. President Donald Trump announced without providing much detail, the president said on Tuesday that he is likely to hold a press conference and read the “word by word, so that the press covers it accurately.” “We just signed a deal with Iran,” he told reporters at the G7 summit in France during a meeting with United Arab Emirates President Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. “Ships are starting to move now,” he said. “Oil is starting to go up, and prices are coming down rapidly.”

“Most importantly, Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” he claimed. The president was asked why he might wait until Friday to release the text of the agreement. “I would like to get a formal setting first,” he said. “I will go over the document with the media in a couple of days.” Trump said that he “never cared about regime change.” “But I guess you have regime change,” he said, of Iran. “The first group—they are all dead. The second group—-they are dead. A part of the third group is gone, and we are dealing with people I think are rational people.”

“I think smarter than the first and second group. They are not radicalized and looking to help their country,” he said. “I have watched regime change for years. They never worked.” Experts refuted that assertion. “If the current Iranian regime leadership wasn’t radicalized, they would never be in the positions they hold today,” stated Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran. “These individuals were all tested and trusted by the late Ali Khamenei, promoted by him and have marinated for years in the Islamic Republic’s ideology,” he stated. “There’s literally an Interpol red notice out for the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.”

At the press conference, Trump was asked about Israel’s ongoing military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump called the terror organization “that little pin prick out there that constantly rears its head.” He said that he wasn’t pleased with Israel for conducting a strike against Hezbollah a few hours before the agreement was signed. “If Israel can’t do the job without killing everyone else,” Syria would take on the task, he said. “Without the United States, there would be no Israel,” Trump said. “Without me, there would be no Israel, because no other president was willing to do what I did. I have had a great relationship with Bibi. Now Bibi has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon.” Trump also praised the Emirati President Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for being “early” to enter the Abraham Accords. (Read More)

Dr. Bill Salus comments:

God or Trump, Who Sustains Israel’s Existence?

            On June 16, 2026, US President Donald Trump arrogantly put himself on par with the God Jehovah of the Bible! Quoted in a JNS article entitled, ‘‘Without me, there would be no Israel,’ Netanyahu ‘has to be more responsible’ with Lebanon, Trump says at G7,” Trump boldly declared, “Without me, there would be no Israel.”

            Keep in mind that according to the passage below, there is only one possible prescription for there to “be no Israel.”

“Thus saith Jehovah, who giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, who stirreth up the sea, so that the waves thereof roar; Jehovah of hosts is his name: If these ordinances depart from before me, saith Jehovah, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever. Thus saith Jehovah: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then will I also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith Jehovah.” (Jerremiah 31:35-37, ASV)

              Granted Trump has been doing a decent job of making America great again (MAGA), but there is no way he can claim that “Without me, there would be no Israel!” He is incapable of thwarting the above requirements that sustain Israel as a nation.  

              Egotistical declarations like the one above and erroneous decisions like signing the   Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Iran won’t put Trump on par with God, but rather, will likely pin Trump against God. 

Iran has fired drones at commercial ships in Hormuz strait since MoU's signing, source tells 'Post'

Iran has fired multiple drones toward commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz since the signing of the US-Iranmemorandum of understanding (MoU) on Sunday, a source told The Jerusalem Post. The source added that all of the drones had been intercepted by the US military before they pose a threat to commercial or US military ships and personnel. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is launching the drones, a US official told NBC, adding that the US military continues to coordinate with shipping companies to support ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump confirmed that a peace deal between the US and Iran has been completed in a post on Truth Social on Sunday. “I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade,” Trump stated.

In a subsequent post on Truth Social, Trump clarified that the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened to allow the transit of commercial vessels on Friday after the agreement is signed. (Source)

US denied Israel's request to view Iran deal prior to signing ceremony, source tells 'Post'

Earlier on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said he would read the deal "word for word," though he did not specify when.

The United States denied Israel's request to view the newly agreed-upon Memorandum of Understanding before the signing ceremony, expected to be held in Switzerland later this week, a source confirmed to The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday. Earlier on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said he would read the deal "word for word," though he did not specify when. As of now, the details of the deal have not been published, which reportedly has 14 separate clauses, including the withdrawal of the IDF from southern Lebanon, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and releasing some $24 billion dollars in sanctioned funds.

Despite Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's announcement that the peace deal includes Lebanon, Israeli officials have not confirmed if the IDF will pull back from the area. On Monday, an IDF source confirmed to the Post that if Hezbollah respects the ceasefire, there will be no attacks anywhere in Lebanon. Separately, Hezbollah on Tuesday told Reuters it received assurances from Iran that it would demand a withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon in its next phase of talks with the United States. The group told Reuters that there would be "no nuclear deal between Iran and the United States unless the Israelis withdraw" from Lebanon. (Ed note: Now why wouldn't the US let Israel see the MoU now? Was President Trump afraid Israel would see their part about being cast under the bus?)    (Source)

Major Escalation: Tehran Issues Aggressive Warnings Just Hours After Reaching United States Accord

Sovereign authorities in Tehran have rapidly revived their aggressive rhetoric merely twenty four hours after finalizing a comprehensive interim accord with Washington, vowing a decisive military response to any structural deviations from the treaty.

The diplomatic optimism surrounding the newly formulated memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran has been sharply undermined by a sequence of aggressive military warnings issued by senior legislative and defense figures within the Islamic Republic. Merely one day after global negotiators finalized the preliminary terms of the sweeping international accord, prominent political executives in Iran have publicly shifted their posture back toward severe geopolitical intimidation. The aggressive declarations, broadcast across regional networks on Tuesday evening, targeted the upcoming formal signing ceremony scheduled to take place in Switzerland this Friday, sending a clear signal to Western defense planners that the clerical regime views the pact as an administrative vehicle to assert strategic dominance over its international adversaries.

The opening salvo of this renewed rhetorical campaign was executed by the head of the National Security Committee in the Iranian Parliament, Ebrahim Azizi, who utilized prominent public communications networks to outline Tehran's rigid expectations for American compliance. The senior legislative official asserted that the current framework materialized strictly because Western resolve crumbled under domestic pressure, forcing international intermediaries to accept the core security demands dictated by the Ayatollah regime. Azizi explicitly declared that Iranian resilience led to a strategic change of direction, when the United States arrived at the negotiation table on Iran's terms, further instructing that now, Washington must prove its commitment by ending the war in Lebanon and complying with every section of the memorandum of understanding.

The parliamentary security chief issued an explicit ultimatum regarding any potential adjustments or enforcement mechanisms introduced by Western diplomats during the upcoming sixty day implementation phase, warning that the regional balance of power has fundamentally changed. Azizi threatened that any violation of the agreement will be met with a firm and decisive response, while forcefully adding that the era of unilateral demands and the imposition of conditions against Iran has ended. This unyielding stance indicates that the clerical leadership intends to utilize the interim period to aggressively restrict Western diplomatic maneuvers, framing any subsequent defensive oversight or compliance inquiries as a direct breach of the foundational treaty text. (Read More)

Iran accuses Israel of '84 violations,' threatens harsh response

The Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters claims that Israel is continuing military activity in southern Lebanon and warns of a response from the Iranian armed forces.

Iran escalated its threats against Israel this evening (Tuesday), accusing it of violating the ceasefire in southern Lebanon “84 times over the past two days." The Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters, the operational headquarters of Iran's military forces, issued a statement claiming that Israel has violated the ceasefire in southern Lebanon dozens of times since the American announcement declaring the end of the war.

The Iranian statement claimed: “The army of the terrorist Zionist entity has violated the ceasefire in southern Lebanon 84 times over the past two days, after the American president announced the end of the war, and it continues to commit crimes and massacres against the oppressed Lebanese people." It further stated: “If the army of the Zionist entity does not cease its actions in southern Lebanon, it should expect a harsh response from the powerful Iranian armed forces."

The threat comes after the IDF reported earlier today that the Israeli Air Force intercepted several rockets launched by Hezbollah toward the area where IDF forces are operating in southern Lebanon, and later struck and destroyed the launcher from which some of the rockets had been fired. Israeli officials assess that behind the Iranian statements is an attempt to pressure the American administration into demanding that Israel reduce its activity in southern Lebanon and even advance a withdrawal of forces from the area.

The tensions surrounding the Lebanese front come alongside diplomatic contacts between the United States and Iran and the continued discussions regarding the understandings reached between the sides. (Ed note: 84 violations? And how many rockets and drones has the terrorist Hezbollah fired into northern Israel? Iran is once again working the Deal Maker. Let's see who wins this one.) (Source)

The Secret Tripartite Friction: Why Damascus Rejects Donald Trump's Grand Strategy to Crush Hezbollah

Syrian President Ahmad al Shara has forcefully rejected a public proposal by US President Donald Trump to militarily intervene against Hezbollah in Lebanon, citing severe fears of losing political credibility across the Arab world and appearing as a strategic protector of Israel.

The sweeping diplomatic architecture currently being formulated by the United States to stabilize the Levant has faced a major structural setback following a decisive policy rejection from the newly established leadership in Damascus. According to comprehensive political dispatches broadcast by Kan News on Tuesday evening, Syrian President Ahmad al Shara has flatly dismissed a highly publicized strategic proposal put forward by US President Donald Trump to utilize Syria's reconstituted armed forces to dismantle Hezbollah inside Lebanon. High level intelligence sources closely embedded within the sovereign decision making apparatus in Damascus reveal that the new leadership is prioritizing its fragile diplomatic status among neighboring Arab states, refusing to deploy its forces in any capacity that could be perceived as serving Western or Israeli security interests.

The definitive insider reporting clarifies that the Syrian president harbors profound concerns that any direct military intervention against the Shiite organization would destroy his administration's political standing, making him appear as if he is taking action strictly to protect Israel, an outcome that would erode his carefully managed credibility within regional Arab coalitions. A prominent Syrian political official familiar with the internal governing mindset explicitly stated that there is no feasibility for a Syrian military intervention against Hezbollah in Lebanon without Israel responding to Syria's demands, adding that the absolute foremost of these requirements is a complete and total withdrawal from the geographic sectors occupied by the Israel Defense Forces in southern Syria following the definitive collapse of the Bashar al Assad regime.

This diplomatic cooling comes directly after President Trump publicly asserted that al Shara's Syria would handle Hezbollah instead of Israel, a strategic concept that has been quietly circulated by White House planners over the past several months as a potential alternative to indefinite Israeli border deployments. Al Shara himself has personally moved to temper these international expectations, issuing public statements confirming that Syria will not engage in any foreign military adventures inside Lebanese territory, and that current Syrian defensive efforts are focusing strictly on securing a more hermetic seal along the immediate international border while systematically neutralizing cross border weapon smuggling rings. This isolationist posture was heavily reinforced by regional intelligence partners, with recent diplomatic logs revealing that Turkish political advisers explicitly instructed al Shara to avoid any military entanglement against Hezbollah in Lebanon out of intense fear that such a campaign would ultimately strengthen Israel's geopolitical leverage. (Ed note: Did you notice how fast President al Shara stepped up to say no to President Trump? Such an effort would help Israel, and that's just not going to happen. Always keep one eye on the state of Syria.)    (Read More)

Iran’s military command warns it will respond if Israel keeps up southern Lebanon offensive

Iran’s Top Joint Military Command, ​Khatam al-Anbiya Central ‌Headquarters, says that Israel should expect a hard response from the Iranian armed forces if it does not stop its attacks on southern Lebanon, days after Tehran and Washington announced a deal to end the regional war.

Tehran has insisted that the memorandum of understanding requires Israel to halt its offensive against Hezbollah — a claim that both Jerusalem and Washington have disputed.  (Source)

Trump on Lebanon: 'If Israel can't do the job without killing everyone, Syria should do it'

"If Israel can't do the job without killing everyone else, Syria should do the job," said US President Donald Trumpin a bilateral meeting with the Emir of the State of Qatar on Tuesday. Trump says he considers the Lebanon war a minor one, and an arena in which Syria can take on Hezbollah in partnership with the United States if Israel under Netanyahu cannot be reigned in.

"Israel's fighting Hezbollah for too long, and too many people are being killed. You don't have to knock down an apartment house every time you're looking for somebody because there's a lot of people in those apartment houses and they're not all Hezbollah, that I can tell you," the president said. "I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah, because to be honest with you, I think they'd do a better job of doing it."

Trump then praised the President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying, "he has pulled that country together very quickly, he's very capable, and he's very good for me. He's protected everything that I've asked for." When asked if he was frustrated with Netanyahu, he responded, "No, we have a great relationship." The president continued, saying, "I didn't like that he did an attack [over] a very minor little thing with some drones. I saw that attack, I saw where that bomb went. That was a vicious... that was too much. You can do too much also. But we've had a very effective relationship.

"Without the United States, there would be no Israel. Without me, there would be no Israel - because no other president was willing to do what I did. I had a great relationship with Bibi, but now Bibi has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon."  (Ed note: Comments anyone?)     (Source)

Dr. Bill Salus comments:

“Trump says he considers the Lebanon war a minor one, and an arena in which Syria can take on Hezbollah in partnership with the United States if Israel under Netanyahu cannot be reigned in. "I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah, because to be honest with you, I think they'd do a better job of doing it."

Trump then praised Syrian President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying, "he has pulled that country together very quickly, he's very capable, and he's very good for me. He's protected everything that I've asked for." (Jerusalem Post (JP) – 6/16/26)

              Trump believes the terrorist in a suit Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who had no part in the Iran war and essentially has no significant national army, can do a better job of dismantling and disarming Hezbollah than Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who led his country as America’s only ally in the Iran war.

              Hezbollah has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US state department since 1997 and Israel has been doing a masterful job of decapitating these terrorists and their leaders since October 8, 2023. However because Ahmed al-Sharaa, “He’s very good for me (Trump). He's protected everything that I've asked for,” and Netanyahu is not following Trump’s marching orders, Trump is betraying Netanyahu and Israel.

              Syria has been at war with Israel since 1948 and is calling for Israel to withdraw from former Syrian territory seized when Sharaa took control, as well as return the Golan Heights to Syria, which in 2019 Trump recognized as Israeli territory. Will Iran’s peace deal condition on Lebanon influence Trump to reverse his decision about Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights?

Iran says permanent end to war in Lebanon is inseparable from US peace deal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declares that an immediate end to the war and Israeli occupation in Lebanon is an inseparable component of the newly minted US-Iran memorandum.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that halting the war across all fronts, including Lebanon, is “the most important” component of the newly announced peace deal with the United States. Speaking to foreign diplomats, Araghchi emphasised that the memorandum involves two primary sides: the United States and Israel on one hand, and Iran and Hezbollah on the other. Araghchi declared that the memorandum calls for an immediate and permanent end to the war on all fronts. He stressed that stopping the conflict in Lebanon is an inseparable part of achieving a complete cessation of hostilities.

"The important point I want to emphasise here is that in our view, there are two parties to this memorandum -- one side is America and Israel, and the other side is Iran and Hezbollah," said Araghchi during a briefing with foreign diplomats broadcast on state television and as quoted by news agency AFP. Furthermore, he noted that the war would not truly end without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from territories occupied during the conflict. According to Araghchi, any subsequent military attacks by Israel on Lebanon or the continued occupation of Lebanese lands will be viewed by Iran as a violation of the agreement.

The remarks followed the announcement of a memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington aimed at halting the West Asia conflict, which began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Lebanon entered the conflict in early March after Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, triggering Israeli strikes and a ground invasion. (Read More)