Is war on Lebanon back on the table? Israel weighs its options

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

An agreement with Lebanon remains out of reach, and the Israeli military will maintain a buffer zone between Hezbollah and Israeli border towns through five positions it has seized with U.S. backing, according to Israeli officials.

Reports suggest Israel may resume its war on Lebanon—also with support from U.S. President Donald Trump—if no deal is reached, despite the fact that indirect border demarcation talks have yet to begin.

An Israeli report claimed that the so-called "Axis of Evil," in which Hezbollah plays a key role, is working to rebuild the group's infrastructure by developing new weapons-smuggling methods. 

Security agencies have not ruled out the possibility that Iran may attempt to establish independent military capabilities in Lebanon under its direct supervision, posing a threat to Israel's home front.

The situation in Lebanon and Gaza was discussed during a meeting of Israel's security cabinet, where intelligence agencies warned that ongoing conditions in Gaza and the lack of progress in negotiations were allowing Hamas to strengthen its capabilities. 

To counter this, they proposed targeted strikes in Gaza to weaken Hamas and kill its fighters.

The recommendations come amid deep divisions in Israel over the stalled prisoner deal, with 54% of Israelis calling for an end to the war in Gaza in exchange for the release of all hostages.