Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir rejected the announced agreement between the US and Iran aimed at ending conflicts in the Middle East. Ben Gvir said Israel is not obligated to comply with this agreement.
In a statement on his Telegram account, Ben Gvir said, "Trump’s deal does not bind us. We are not a party to this agreement. It does not protect our security." This was the first official response from Israel to the reported accord agreed upon by Washington and Tehran.
He Called for Continued Pressure on Hezbollah
Ben Gvir argued that Israel must continue its military campaign against the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. According to him, no solution is acceptable unless the group is completely dismantled.
The minister stated, "We must settle for nothing less than the dismantling of Hezbollah. We should not withdraw from a single inch of land captured by our soldiers and cleared of terrorist infrastructure."
These remarks came ahead of the agreement expected to be officially signed this week in Switzerland between Washington and Tehran. Ben Gvir’s stance also revealed how the hardline faction within the Israeli government views the deal.
Trump Criticized Netanyahu After Beirut Attack
A day before Ben Gvir’s statement, US President Donald Trump criticized Israel following an airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut. Trump said the attack endangered the peace process between Washington and Tehran.
Speaking to Axios, Trump expressed his displeasure with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, noting that such attacks complicate sensitive diplomatic efforts in the region. These efforts aim to end months-long conflict and ease tensions disrupting global energy markets.
The Israeli military announced on Sunday that it targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut. Lebanon’s Civil Defense reported three deaths and six injuries from the strike.
Lebanon’s official news agency said the attack hit an apartment in the Ghobeiry neighborhood, with thick smoke and debris spreading into a busy commercial area. An AFP correspondent at the scene reported extensive damage and ongoing rescue operations.
Netanyahu’s office said the strike targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut’s Dahiyeh area in response to attacks originating from Lebanese territory. The Israeli military described the strike as a "precision hit" on a Hezbollah command facility.
Before the attack, senior Israeli officials warned that if Hezbollah continued attacks on northern Israeli settlements, the southern suburbs of Beirut would be targeted. On the same day, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for decisive action under Israel’s "Dahiyeh Doctrine," and Ben Gvir demanded harsher retaliation against Hezbollah.
Hezbollah claimed on Sunday that it carried out various attacks against Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon but denied launching attacks into northern Israel.
The conflict line became more complex as Iran called for a ceasefire clause in Lebanon to be included in a broader regional agreement. Iranian officials condemned Israel’s strike.
Mohammad Jafar Asadi, deputy commander of Iran’s top military command, said Israel’s actions would not go unanswered. Asadi stated, "These crimes will definitely not remain unanswered."
The war between Israel and Hezbollah was ignited earlier this year after Iran’s religious leader was killed in US-Israeli strikes, prompting Hezbollah to fire rockets at Israel. Since then, the conflict has become one of the deadliest confrontations between the two sides in decades.
According to Lebanese officials, Israeli air and ground operations since March have resulted in over 3,700 deaths in the country.
Lebanon Reports Herbicide Use at Border to UN
Amid ongoing diplomatic tensions, Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry announced it filed an official complaint with the United Nations accusing Israel of spraying high concentrations of glyphosate near the border earlier this year.
The ministry’s statement on Sunday said laboratory tests on soil samples from the villages of Aita al-Shaab, Ras Naqura, and Dhayra confirmed glyphosate levels far exceeding those typical for agricultural use.
The complaint was submitted to the UN Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, based on findings from Lebanon’s National Council for Scientific Research.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun previously described the spraying operation as "a clear violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and a crime against the environment and health."
The ministry also noted that Israel continues its attacks despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, citing a recent incident where a Lebanese army vehicle was targeted, killing three soldiers.
According to the statement, such incidents undermine direct negotiations aimed at ending hostilities between the two countries. Israel and Lebanon began unprecedented direct talks in Washington in April for a permanent ceasefire, with a new round planned after military delegation contacts at the Pentagon in May.
However, Hezbollah opposes direct talks and criticizes the proposed conditional ceasefire. The group claims it is being asked to halt attacks without Israel being equally obligated to end military operations or withdraw from Lebanese territory.
Recent attacks and objections to the US-Iran deal have further clouded prospects for a broad regional agreement.
