Israeli leaders have rejected calls to withdraw from occupied areas of southern Lebanon or abide by Lebanon-related provisions in the newly announced US-Iran agreement to end the war , insisting that Israeli forces will remain on Lebanese territory, as well as in Gaza and Syria, despite Tehran's demand that any deal include an end to Israel's military campaign in Lebanon.
The stance comes despite Tehran's insistence during negotiations that it would not move forward with any agreement to end the conflict while Israeli military operations in Lebanon continued.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Monday that the military would not withdraw from Lebanon "despite all current and future pressure", adding that Israel would respond forcefully if Iran attacked Israel over developments in Lebanon.
Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were pursuing a policy of maintaining Israeli military deployments in occupied territories in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza "indefinitely"
"We will not compromise on Israel's supreme security interests and the protection of our citizens, and we will not withdraw from the security zones," he said.
Katz added that Netanyahu had conveyed this position to US President Donald Trump and other senior US officials, while he had personally discussed it with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Separately, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir dismissed the US-Iran agreement, due to be signed on Friday, as "not binding on Israel".
"Trump's agreement does not oblige us. Israel is not subordinate to the United States. We are an independent and sovereign state," Ben-Gvir said.
He argued that Israel must not withdraw from any Lebanese territory occupied by Israeli forces.
"We are not partners to this agreement, which does not serve our security, and it does not bind us in any way," he said. US-Iran deal 'catastrophic for Israel' The comments came as Israeli media reported that Netanyahu had informed Trump that Israel does not consider itself bound by the Lebanon-related provisions of the agreement reached between Washington and Tehran.
Separately, Israel's Channel 13 quoted a senior Israeli official as describing the agreement as "catastrophic for Israel", adding that there was broad consensus across the Israeli leadership, from Netanyahu to the military's top command.
Israeli officials also told Israeli media that tensions between Netanyahu and Trump had reached one of their highest points in recent months.
Trump appeared to highlight those tensions on Sunday, describing Netanyahu as "a very difficult guy" and arguing that the Israeli leader should be grateful for US efforts to secure an agreement with Iran.
"He should be very thankful to us for doing this," Trump told the New York Times . "If Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel wouldn't be around for two hours."
Trump has argued that the agreement would prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon while helping avert a wider regional war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Lebanon hopes US-Iran deal will bring ceasefire The developments came as some displaced Lebanese residents began returning to towns and villages in southern Lebanon despite warnings from officials that the security situation remains unstable and that the consequences of the US-Iran agreement have yet to become clear on the ground.
Lebanese officials welcomed the US-Iran agreement and expressed hope that it would lead to a comprehensive ceasefire in Lebanon.
Official Lebanese sources told The New Arab that Beirut would continue negotiations with Israel over unresolved issues, but stressed that a complete ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas in the south remained Lebanon's immediate priorities.
The sources said an Israeli withdrawal was essential both for residents to return safely to their villages and for the deployment of the Lebanese army as part of plans to bring all weapons under state authority.
The officials also said internal and international contacts were continuing to monitor developments, adding that Hezbollah had indicated it would abide by the agreement and would not carry out attacks if Israel halted military operations, destruction and killings in Lebanon.
Lebanese army sources said some residents had already begun returning to villages in the Tyre and Nabatieh regions, but urged caution and advised people to wait for official guidance.
"The situation in the south remains sensitive," military sources said, noting that Israeli forces remain present in several occupied villages.
The army also warned residents about the dangers posed by unexploded ordnance and remnants of war scattered across southern Lebanon.
The return of some residents comes despite Israel's continued military campaign following the ceasefire announced on 8 April, which was expected to include the Lebanese front.
Israel has repeatedly violated the truce, expanding air strikes on major population centres including Tyre and Nabatieh, deepening ground incursions, and maintaining control over around 68 southern villages within what Israel refers to as the "yellow line", as well as carrying out strikes in western Bekaa and Beirut's southern suburbs.
Lebanese officials say the full implementation of any ceasefire agreement requires an Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory in the south, warning that continued military operations and occupation risk undermining efforts to stabilise the country and enable displaced residents to return home.