Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz asserted on Monday that President Donald Trump was responsible for halting a comprehensive Israeli military operation aimed at eliminating Hezbollah in Lebanon. Katz explained that maintaining a "partnership" with the United States imposes certain limitations.
According to a translated transcript of a briefing obtained by The Post, Katz indicated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "stood bravely" against Trump's demands, communicated through four phone calls, that Israeli forces withdraw from Lebanon. "Iran constantly pressured the United States to pressure Israel, in order to stop this," Katz said, referring to the ongoing conflict. "At that time, we were attacking all of Lebanon, I remind you."
Katz further stated that Hezbollah, in a state of panic, pressured Iran to broaden the conflict and link it to a potential U.S.-Iran ceasefire. "Hezbollah … in a panic pressured Iran to connect the arenas," he added.
Prime Minister Netanyahu ultimately agreed to cease actions such as "taking down buildings" in Beirut, a decision that Katz opposed, though Israel intended to continue with "surgical attacks." Katz expressed regret over the decision to extend the ceasefire to Lebanon, attributing it to "an American interest, that [Trump] really, really wanted to promote the possibility of negotiations with Iran, etc., and he saw this as an obstacle to it."
This shift in strategy resulted in the containment of Israeli Defense Forces to southern Lebanon. An agreement was reached last week that allows Israeli forces to remain in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is defeated.