Overview
- Israel Defense Minister Israel Katz publicly accused President Trump of pressuring Israel to halt a broader campaign against Hezbollah and said that U.S. calls forced limits on Israeli operations.
- Katz said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resisted repeated U.S. requests to withdraw forces from Lebanon but agreed to scale back strikes on Beirut and focus on 'surgical' attacks.
- Katz described a change in military plans that keeps Israeli forces concentrated in southern Lebanon rather than mounting a wider offensive across the country.
- He framed the U.S. intervention as tied to Washington’s efforts to preserve the chance of negotiations with Iran and said Iran pushed the United States to press Israel to stop.
- The public dispute increases uncertainty over a fragile cease‑fire and could raise the risk of wider regional escalation, with consequences for civilians in Lebanon and cross‑Gulf security and commerce.