Behind the Lebanon negotiations: US-Israel differences come into focus

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

Growing differences are emerging between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over their approach to the Lebanon file, amid U.S. doubts about the prospects for the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel.

As Israeli officials warned that the start of the agreement’s first phase and the army’s withdrawal from two pilot areas could be delayed, the United States called for decisive decisions requiring Israel to begin implementing its commitments.

Following a joint political-security assessment, Israel’s political leadership informed senior military commanders that Lebanon and Iran remain the country's top security and military priorities, instructing the army to focus its operational efforts on both fronts.

As Israel marks 1,000 days since the start of the October 7 war, it has intensified warnings that it will continue to maintain and expand buffer zones on all fronts, while also citing a growing threat along its eastern border with Jordan.

In Gaza, where the war began, the military has prepared plans to resume operations pending a decision by the political leadership, despite U.S. opposition and broader international rejection.

One thousand days into what Israel describes as the longest war in its history, the country is facing a shortage of reserve troops, in addition to about 26,000 wounded soldiers and security personnel. 

Of those, 65% are reported to be suffering from psychological distress, with projections indicating the number could exceed 90,000 by the end of the year.