By JAKE JOHNSON
\nJun 18, 2026<\/p>\n
The Israeli military carried out drone strikes in southern\u00a0Lebanon\u00a0on Thursday, just hours after the presidents of the US and Iran signed a\u00a0memorandum of understanding\u00a0that establishes a framework for negotiations to end the war launched by the\u00a0Trump administration\u00a0and Israel in late February.<\/p>\n
Lebanese media reported that \u201can Israeli drone dropped a munition on Beit Yahoun, injuring two people.\u201d A separate drone strike \u201con a vehicle at the roundabout between Kfartebnit and Arnoun killed one person and critically wounded another,\u201d according to\u00a0Lebanon\u2019s National News Agency.<\/p>\n
The attacks underscored the threat that Israel\u2019s\u00a0ongoing military occupation of and assault on\u00a0Lebanon poses to the prospects of a final peace agreement between the US and Iran. The\u00a0memorandum of understanding\u00a0(MOU) that Trump signed in\u00a0France\u00a0late Wednesday explicitly includes Lebanon and indicates that continued Israeli attacks would violate the deal.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe\u00a0United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran and their allies in the current war, by signing this MOU, declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other and ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon,\u201d the document states.<\/p>\n
Israeli Prime Minister\u00a0Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been\u00a0accused of working to sabotage\u00a0diplomatic progress, has\u00a0voiced defiance\u00a0in response to negotiations between the US and Iran, refusing to commit to the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon. Since March 2, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have\u00a0killed around 3,800 people, including hundreds of\u00a0children, according to Lebanese authorities.<\/p>\n
Reuters\u00a0reported\u00a0Thursday that Israel is \u201cholding negotiations with the US as it seeks to continue its deployment of troops in southern Lebanon.\u201d An unnamed senior Israeli official, described as close to Netanyahu, told the news outlet that \u201cIsrael would not back down on its positions, including keeping troops deployed in the area south of Lebanon\u2019s \u2060Litani River.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA second Israeli official told Reuters that the outcome of the talks would ultimately depend on whether US President Donald \u2060Trump \u2018decides to force the issue\u2019 by threatening repercussions if Israel does not abide by the interim Iran pact\u2019s terms,\u201d the outlet added.<\/p>\n
Speaking during a press conference on Wednesday, Trump\u00a0called\u00a0Netanyahu \u201ca very good man\u201d and an \u201camazing prime minister.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a little dispute over Lebanon,\u201d the president added. \u201cI say, \u2018You can do a little softer touch, Bibi. You don\u2019t have to knock down a building every time somebody walks into it that\u2019s from\u00a0Hezbollah.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Esmaeil Baqaei, the spokesperson for Iran\u2019s Foreign Ministry, said Thursday that the MOU signed Wednesday would be \u201cnullified\u201d in the absence of a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and an end to military attacks.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is the responsibility of the US,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0Baqaei, to \u201cforce\u201d Israel to \u201crespect the US commitments to Iran in this document.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By JAKE JOHNSON Jun 18, 2026 The Israeli military carri […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27944,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n