Just hours after President Donald Trump and Iranian President signed a memorandum of understanding in France late Wednesday, Israeli drone strikes hit southern Lebanon, killing one person and wounding three others. The attacks underscore the fragility of the nascent US-Iran peace framework and the challenge posed by Israel's ongoing military operations in Lebanon.
Lebanon's National News Agency reported that an Israeli drone dropped a munition on Beit Yahoun, injuring two people. A separate strike on a vehicle at the roundabout between Kfartebnit and Arnoun killed one individual and critically wounded another. The strikes occurred in areas south of the Litani River, where Israeli forces have maintained a presence since the war launched by the Trump administration and Israel in late February.
MOU Explicitly Covers Lebanon
The MOU signed by Trump and Iran's president explicitly includes Lebanon, stating that the United States and Iran, along with their allies, have declared "the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon." The document also commits both parties to ensuring "the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon."
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has voiced defiance in response to the US-Iran negotiations. According to Reuters, Israel is holding talks with the US as it seeks to continue deploying troops in southern Lebanon. An unnamed senior Israeli official close to Netanyahu told the outlet that "Israel would not back down on its positions, including keeping troops deployed in the area south of Lebanon's Litani River."
A second Israeli official indicated that the outcome of the talks would depend on whether Trump "decides to force the issue" by threatening repercussions if Israel does not abide by the interim pact's terms. The strikes came despite Trump's public comments on Wednesday calling Netanyahu "a very good man" and an "amazing prime minister," while also noting a "little dispute over Lebanon." Trump added, "I say, 'You can do a little softer touch, Bibi. You don't have to knock down a building every time somebody walks into it that's from Hezbollah.'"
Since March 2, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed around 3,800 people, including hundreds of children, according to Lebanese authorities. The ongoing occupation and assault pose a direct threat to the prospects of a final peace agreement between the US and Iran.
Iran Warns of Nullification
Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, said Thursday that the MOU would be "nullified" in the absence of a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and an end to military attacks. "It is the responsibility of the US," Baqaei said, to "force" Israel to "respect the US commitments to Iran in this document."
The developments highlight the tension between Trump's diplomatic push and Netanyahu's military strategy. As Trump and Netanyahu remain at odds over the Iran deal, the Lebanon stalemate deepens, raising questions about whether the MOU can hold. For a deeper look at the agreement's terms, see the full text of the US-Iran MOU and analysis of how Iran gained concessions with minimal commitments.
