Israel Weighs in on Iran Deal

Israeli officials are reportedly unhappy with the latest Iran deal reached between Tehran and the United States, and have signaled they will not comply with certain provisions, including withdrawing troops from security zones in Lebanon. Others have expressed concern that not enough action was taken against the regime prior to negotiations, and that the deal could end up resembling previous agreements with Iran.

That troop withdrawal, in particular, is a key part of President Trump’s agreement with Iran, which is meant to signal an end to military operations “on all fronts.” The pushback raises questions about how durable the deal is and whether Iran will continue to abide by its terms amid ongoing tensions with Israel.

Israel will not be bound by the “Lebanese clause” in the Iran deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly informed US President Donald Trump that Israel does not consider itself obligated by any “Lebanese clause” in the agreement with Iran.

According to Ynet,… pic.twitter.com/UjTSubjFJ0
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) June 15, 2026

"Israel will not withdraw from the security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza," Israel's Minister of Defense wrote in a statement on X, Friday. "The IDF will continue to defend our borders and our citizens from the peak of Mount Hermon, the mountains of Lebanon, the areas of our land in the Samaria region, and most of the territory of Gaza—against the threats posed by jihadist forces and organizations, as a central lesson from the events of October 7."

נשיא ארה"ב מוביל בימים אלה להסכם עם איראן מתוך ראיית האינטרסים האמריקאים, ובהם גם האינטרס המשותף עם ישראל - למנוע מאיראן נשק גרעיני - ואנו מצפים שיעמוד על העיקרון הזה ועקרונות נוספים בתחום הטילים ושלוחי הטרור.

ביחד הנחתנו על איראן מכות קשות שהסיגו את יכולותיה שנים רבות לאחור.…
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) June 12, 2026

BREAKING: Israel won't withdraw from land seized in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, its defense minister says, hours after an interim Iran-U.S. deal was announced. Israel Katz's remarks are the first official Israeli comments since the announcement. https://t.co/KdVpD2iaxq
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 15, 2026

Ben Gvir, the country’s National Security Minister, also issued a scathing statement on the agreement, writing on X that “Trump’s agreement does not bind Israel,” and that the country “is not subject to the United States.”

ההסכם של טראמפ אינו מחייב אותנו. ישראל לא כפופה לארצות הברית ואנחנו מדינה עצמאית וריבונית!

חובתנו לאזרחי ישראל לחיילי צה״ל ולעם היהודי וחובתנו ההיסטורית לנרדפים ולנרצחים היהודים באלפי שנות גלות, להעניק ביטחון ליהודים בארץ ישראל.

בכל פעם שנכנענו ללחץ בינלאומי על חשבון ביטחון…
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) June 15, 2026

Avner Golov, a former Israeli national security official, also expressed concern, arguing that some worry that President Trump's deal might actually legitimize the Iranian regime. He also said that the deal is “not a good starting point for negotiations."

As of Monday, the agreement is described as a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending military operations, opening the Strait of Hormuz, securing Iran’s commitment not to pursue nuclear weapons, and setting the stage for further negotiations on removing enriched nuclear material from the country.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has yet to issue an official statement on the Iran deal following its announcement, as details are still being released to the public. Israeli officials have also expressed concern the deal could unfold in a manner similar to former President Obama’s Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which President Trump withdrew from during his first term.

President Trump, however, has maintained that the deal is expected to be more effective than the JCPOA and that Israeli officials support it.

“Bibi is OK with it,” the president told the Wall Street Journal on Sunday. “Why is it good for Bibi? Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon under any circumstances.”

This comes as Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump have increasingly become at odds, with Israeli officials pushing for a harder stance against Iran while the president has pressed for a deal. On Sunday, the president criticized Netanyahu as Israel carried out strikes against Hezbollah in Beirut, Lebanon.

"This morning’s attack on Beirut should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran," the president wrote on Truth Social on Sunday. "Israel has the right to defend itself against threats, but the attack it was responding to was very small and meaningless; nobody was hurt, injured, or killed, and it should not disrupt this important process."

We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down. There should be no more attacks by Israel anywhere in Lebanon, but there should also be no more attacks by any other party, including Hezbollah, against Israel. This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace — Let’s not blow it! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP

Editor's Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is eliminating the threat from Iran once and for all.

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