'Israel' not bound by Iran deal: Minister
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- ‘Israel’ science minister Gila Gamliel says ‘Israel’ is not bound by the US-Iran agreement and will continue military operations until Hezbollah is disarmed.
- She says ‘Israel’ will maintain positions in southern Lebanon, including areas up to the Litani River, and restrict residents’ return.
‘Israel’ Science Minister and political-security cabinet member Gila Gamliel said Monday that ‘Israel’ does not consider itself bound by the emerging US-Iran agreement and will continue its military campaign in the region.
Speaking to Channel 7, she said operations would persist “until we achieve the goal of disarming Hezbollah.”
Her remarks come amid growing discussion of a broader regional ceasefire framework involving Washington and Tehran, which ‘Israel’ has not formally joined.
Gamliel also indicated that ‘Israel’ intends to maintain its positions inside southern Lebanon.
“Realistically, we are deeply entrenched inside Lebanon,” she said, adding that ‘Israel’ does not plan to withdraw from areas it currently controls up to the Litani River and Beaufort Castle.
She added that residents would not be allowed to return to those areas until Hezbollah is disarmed, saying the policy is intended to protect northern communities.
In her comments, Gamliel also suggested that US President Donald Trump was delaying final steps on the agreement for political timing reasons, citing events including the World Cup, birthday celebrations, Independence Day and upcoming midterm elections.
