Israel Continues Military Operations in Lebanon Despite US-Iran Talks

JAKARTA - Israel insists it is not involved in US-Iranian negotiations and will continue its military operations in Lebanon until Hezbollah is fully disbanded.

"Israel is not part of the negotiations with Iran on our own choice," Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said in an interview with Israel Army Radio, Tuesday, June 23, reported by ANTARA from Anadolu.

He stressed that Israel was not a party to the US-Iran peace talks.

"Negotiations between the United States and Iran have absolutely nothing to do with us," he said.

According to Smotrich, the Israeli military will continue to operate in Lebanon and will not withdraw from the security zone it controls, including the Kastel Beaufort area, as long as the Hezbollah group is still there.

He added that Israel not only wants Hezbollah to be stripped of its weapons, but also disbanded and no longer be part of the Lebanese government.

"We don't just want Hezbollah to lose its weapons, but also to be completely disbanded, not to be part of the Lebanese government, and not to have a military force that threatens Israel," he said.

Smotrich's statement came amid an escalating debate among Israeli politics and security over a US-Iranian peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) and its impact on the conflict in Lebanon.

Israel and Lebanon are scheduled to hold a fifth round of direct talks in Washington on Tuesday. The talks, which began in April, are part of efforts to end the conflict in Lebanon.

Menuruti24News, a number of Israeli officials are concerned that the US-Iran deal could strengthen Iran's position and its allies in the region.

On the other hand, criticism of the US approach to negotiating with Iran and Hezbollah has also increased within Israel.

According to official Lebanese data, Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed more than 4,100 people and injured more than 12,000 others.

Israel still occupies a number of areas in southern Lebanon, including areas it has occupied for decades and areas seized in the 2023-2024 conflict.