Israel’s Netanyahu says any deal between US, Iran would not end Lebanon war: Report

ISTANBUL

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told senior US officials that any future agreement between Washington and Tehran would not stop Israel’s war in Lebanon, according to a report Monday.

The Israel Hayom daily said Netanyahu conveyed the message during recent closed-door talks with senior officials in US President Donald Trump’s administration.

According to the newspaper, Netanyahu said any agreement reached between the United States and Iran would not apply to the Lebanese front.

“Israel will continue to take advantage of the opportunity to eliminate Hezbollah even if there is an agreement between Trump and Iranian officials,” the report said.

The newspaper also said Netanyahu rejected a French proposal to halt the war against Hezbollah in exchange for French President Emmanuel Macron’s commitment to help resolve the situation.

According to the report, Netanyahu believes Israel now has an opportunity to significantly improve its security situation by pushing Hezbollah beyond the Litani River.

A senior Israeli official quoted by the newspaper said the United States had accepted Israel’s position.

“Lebanon does not matter to President Trump,” the official said.

Israel has pounded Lebanon with airstrikes and launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since a cross-border attack by Hezbollah on March 2.

Lebanese authorities said at least 1,247 people have since been killed and 3,690 injured in Israeli attacks.

The escalation came amid a joint US-Israeli offensive on Iran, which has killed more than 1,340 people since Feb. 28. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and US bases in Gulf countries.