Israel signals no withdrawal from Lebanon, eyes possible new campaign against Iran

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian 

As Israel marked the 20th anniversary of the soldiers killed in the Second Lebanon War, it escalated its threats on multiple fronts, from Lebanon to Iran, while continuing to obstruct the implementation of the trilateral framework agreement it signed with Beirut. 

Israel has justified the delay by citing the pending arrival of U.S. troops and the need to coordinate with the Lebanese army on a mechanism for transferring responsibility and completing the Israeli military's withdrawal from the two pilot zones.

At the same time, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called for preparations for a third military campaign against Iran.

Katz's remarks echoed those of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who stressed not only that Israel would not withdraw from Lebanon but also that it would preserve the operational freedom of its military there.

As the Israeli military continues to carry out strikes in southern Lebanon and operations targeting Hezbollah tunnels and infrastructure, a complex diplomatic battle is unfolding behind the scenes at the United Nations over the future of monitoring in southern Lebanon. 

Israel is seeking to block the renewal of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, mandate, arguing that it has completely failed in its mission over the years and has lost touch with the realities on the ground.