U.S. intelligence agencies reportedly warned the Trump administration that Israel is likely to undermine the new U.S.-Iran peace deal as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces pressure to continue Lebanon strikes ahead of fall elections.
Current and former intelligence officials said reports, including one circulated this week, concluded that Netanyahu’s political survival depends on convincing voters he will continue fighting Hezbollah rather than withdraw troops, the Washington Post reported on Friday.
Israel’s Lebanon Stance Threatens To Sink Deal
According to the report, U.S. intelligence also describes Israel’s frustration that the peace memorandum undermines its broader goal of maintaining maximum pressure on Iran, a current and former official said.
Even without further strikes, Israel’s refusal to withdraw troops from southern Lebanon is likely to doom the agreement, a second U.S. official told the Post. “Continuing to occupy part of Lebanon is a recipe for disaster,” the official said. “Without a full Israeli withdrawal, the likelihood of resumed hostilities… is all but certain.”
