How the conflict in Lebanon threatens the US deal with Iran

War in the Middle East

How the conflict in Lebanon threatens the US deal with Iran

The start of talks between Washington and Tehran in Switzerland is a long time coming. One reason is the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. There are deaths on both sides.

Barely signed, already put to the test: new fighting between the Israeli army and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia endangers the framework agreement between the two USA and that Iran. Both parties to the conflict accuse each other of breaking a ceasefire agreed upon in the agreement.

The Israeli army said it attacked around 80 Hezbollah positions during the night and on Friday morning. The militia had previously fired rockets at Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon, the army wrote on X. Four Israeli soldiers were killed, according to the military. Four other soldiers were injured in a drone strike.

Dem Ministry of Health According to Beirut, 21 people were killed and another 39 injured on the Lebanese side. Eight of those killed were members of the same family, the statement said.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the army to take tough action against Hezbollah. Israel will not tolerate attacks on its soldiers or territory. Hezbollah, for its part, accused Israel of never abiding by a ceasefire. It is Iran’s most important ally in the region.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accused Israel of undermining efforts to end the violence and targeting innocent civilians in its attacks.

The framework agreement between Iran and the USA provides for a comprehensive end to the military conflicts in the region, but does not contain a clause regarding the withdrawal of Israeli troops.

US Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday that Israel has the right to defend itself, but fundamentally Israelis, like everyone else, must respect this peace process. In an interview with The New York Times (Thursday), Vance said: “You can’t just kill your way out of every single national security problem.” He was pointing out that purely military force and bombs cannot be a lasting solution to Israel’s strategic challenges.

The Swiss government canceled a first round of talks planned for Friday to shape the framework agreement near Lucerne. No reasons were given for this.

The Lebanese news portal Al Mayadeen, which is close to Hezbollah, reported, citing unnamed Iranian government sources, that Tehran would take part in the talks over the Israeli airstrikes Lebanon do not participate initially.