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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/19/world/middleeast/lebanon-us-iran-deal-ceasefire.html
Lebanon Emerges as Weak Link in U.S.-Iran Deal
(New York Times) Euan Ward - The inclusion of Lebanon in the U.S.-Iran deal was seen as a diplomatic victory for Iran, where its ally, Hizbullah, attacked Israel in March in solidarity with Tehran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, which has not been party to the negotiations, had staunchly objected to those terms and vowed to continue the military campaign against Hizbullah. On Friday, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter, said Israel had committed to an immediate ceasefire and had "halted all offensive operations" in Lebanon. But he said that Israeli forces were still operating in southern Lebanon "to rid the area of Hizbullah and dismantle its terror infrastructure," adding, "We will remain there until that mission is accomplished." The agreement between the U.S. and Iran purports to extend its commitments to Washington and Tehran's allies, but neither Israel nor Hizbullah signed the memorandum. Washington and Israel had sought to keep the two conflicts separate, while Tehran made Israel's campaign in Lebanon a pressure point in negotiations with Washington. Israel has signaled it does not feel bound by any Lebanon-related agreements in the U.S.-Iran talks, and Israeli leaders have said in recent days that they do not intend to withdraw from the country.