TEL AVIV, Israel, June 2 (ANI) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will proceed with its planned military operations against Beirut if Hezbollah continues attacks on northern Israel, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a temporary ceasefire between the two sides.
The warning came after Trump stated earlier in the evening that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would not enter Beirut and that both sides had agreed to halt hostilities.
In a statement issued in Hebrew, Netanyahu defended Israel’s military position and emphasized that the country’s policy remains unchanged.
“I spoke this evening with President Trump and told him that if Hezbollah does not stop attacking our cities and civilians, Israel will strike terrorist targets in Beirut. This position remains unchanged,” Netanyahu said.
The Israeli leader also stressed that diplomatic discussions would not interrupt military operations already underway.
“At the same time, the IDF will continue operating in southern Lebanon as planned,” he added.
The exact terms of the ceasefire framework announced by Trump remain unclear, with differing signals emerging from Washington, Jerusalem, Beirut, and Hezbollah.
Netanyahu’s statement was issued roughly two hours after Trump publicly outlined the ceasefire arrangement, fueling speculation that the agreement had been strongly encouraged by Washington.
The exchange followed Israeli government orders authorizing military operations targeting southern Beirut and a pledge to intensify action against Hezbollah.
Describing the diplomatic developments, Trump wrote on his social media platform that he had held a productive conversation with Netanyahu.
“I had a very productive call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu of Israel, and there will be no troops going to Beirut,” Trump said, adding that military units advancing toward the Lebanese capital had been instructed to pull back.
Trump also claimed that Hezbollah had agreed to halt hostilities through indirect diplomatic channels.
“Likewise — through highly placed representatives — I had a very good call with Hezbollah, and they agreed that all shooting will stop — that Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel,” he said.
The long-term durability of the truce remains uncertain given the broader regional tensions and longstanding conflict between the parties.
Lebanon has been caught in escalating regional confrontations following a joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iranian targets. Since then, southern Lebanon has experienced increased instability, and thousands of residents in Beirut’s southern suburbs have reportedly fled their homes following Israeli evacuation warnings.
According to Israeli media reports, planned strikes on Beirut were postponed after direct appeals from Washington.
Regional media reports indicated that the United States urged Israel to delay military operations to allow diplomatic efforts to move forward, despite earlier indications that Israel’s military plans had been coordinated with American officials.
However, the ceasefire does not address the deeper political, ideological, and territorial disputes at the center of the conflict.
Israel has repeatedly stated that Hezbollah’s military presence near its northern border is unacceptable, while Hezbollah continues to portray itself as a key component of a regional alliance supported by Iran.
The conflict has also complicated diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran.
Iranian media outlets reported that Tehran suspended active diplomatic contacts with the United States in response to the military campaign in Lebanon, arguing that the operations undermined the ceasefire framework.
At the same time, Trump has offered differing assessments regarding the status of negotiations with Iran.
Shortly before announcing the ceasefire arrangement involving Israel and Lebanon, Trump said he had not been informed in advance of Iran’s diplomatic position.
The U.S. president also indicated that he was not concerned about the possibility of negotiations collapsing and said he was willing to wait.
However, minutes later, he appeared to strike a more optimistic tone, writing on Truth Social that “Talks are continuing, at a rapid pace, with the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
The latest developments underscore the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the broader uncertainty surrounding diplomatic efforts across the region. (ANI)
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