Israel refuses Lebanon withdrawal as Iran demands war end before broader deal with US
Israel's defense minister said Sunday the IDF will not leave the security zone inside Lebanon, hours before Iran and the US began talks in Switzerland where Tehran warned it would not pursue a wider agreement unless hostilities cease.
No withdrawal from the security zone
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared Sunday that troops will stay in the roughly 10‑km security zone carved out inside Lebanon and face no restrictions when engaging threats. The statement came as a fragile ceasefire was barely holding after a weekend of mutual accusations and heavy civilian casualties.
The prime minister’s office has yet to publicly confirm the truce that was announced Friday by unnamed US and Israeli officials. Israeli military sources said they had received updated political directives to cease fire but would continue defensive operations and retain the right to retaliate.There never has been, nor is there currently, any restriction on IDF soldiers in Lebanon to act with the aim of eliminating threats. As the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and I have made clear: Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon.
Ceasefire violations and casualties
Fighting escalated sharply on Friday and Saturday despite the US‑brokered pause. Lebanese health authorities reported 83 deaths on Friday alone, raising the cumulative toll to 4,057 killed and 12,121 wounded since the Israeli ground offensive began on 2 March. Nabatiyeh was the hardest hit, with 17 dead, while the town of Harouf recorded 10 fatalities. At least 135 rescue workers and health professionals are among the dead.
- Lebanon
- 4057 deaths
- Israeli soldiers
- 36 deaths
The Israeli army said Hezbollah fired more than 50 projectiles at its forces overnight, while the group accused Israel of violating the truce at least 180 times on Saturday, causing around 20 deaths, including a Lebanese soldier. Hezbollah described Israeli claims of militant breaches as “lies” and said it was only responding to Israeli infiltration attempts.
Five Israeli soldiers were killed in the preceding 48 hours, with a sixth announced Sunday, bringing the military toll to 36 dead since March plus one civilian contractor.The number of violations and attacks since this morning totals at least 180.
Iran-US talks and the Strait of Hormuz
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai said the Lebanon situation would be the main topic of Sunday’s one‑day talks with the United States in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar. He called the halt of hostilities “crucial” and insisted that Tehran would not enter broader negotiations unless the war in Lebanon ends.
The talks follow a memorandum of understanding signed on Wednesday that envisages a durable Middle East peace, but its Lebanon clause was immediately undermined by Israeli airstrikes and cross‑border fire. In retaliation, Iranian armed forces announced Saturday they were again closing the Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint through which about 20% of global oil previously transited before the conflict erupted. President Massoud Pezeshkian said the US would approve the immediate release of $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets held in Qatar once negotiations started.The cessation of hostilities in Lebanon is crucial.
- Israeli ground offensive in Lebanon begins after Hezbollah attacks Israel in support of Iran.
- US and Iran sign a memorandum of understanding aimed at a lasting Middle East peace, including an end to hostilities in Lebanon.
- US and Israeli sources announce a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah; the truce is not publicly confirmed by Netanyahu’s office.
- Heavy fighting resumes: Israeli strikes kill 83 in Lebanon, Hezbollah fires 50 rockets. Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz.
- Israeli army says it is halting proactive operations but will continue to act defensively.
- Katz rules out pullback from security zone. Iran‑US talks open in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, with Lebanon as the main agenda item.
US President Donald Trump had insisted on Friday that Israel would honour its commitment, adding, “If it weren’t for Washington, the Israelis would have been annihilated.”
Tense standoff
Both sides continue to accuse each other of scuttling the truce. Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein said Hezbollah was violating the ceasefire “consistently”, while Hezbollah called Israel “totally responsible” and accused it of never accepting the ceasefire terms. The Israeli army said it was operating defensively around Tebnit against underground infrastructure it described as a Hezbollah bastion.
The memorandum signed between Tehran and Washington was meant to halt hostilities on all fronts, but the repeated cycles of strikes and rocket fire have left diplomats scrambling to salvage the process.
