Netanyahu Vows Israel Will Hold Lebanon Security Zone as U.S.-Iran Talks Falter

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel will maintain its security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary, even as U.S.-Iran talks opened in Switzerland and appeared to stall after fresh threats from President Donald Trump.

“We established a security zone in Lebanon. And we shall keep it as long as is necessary to protect our people,” Netanyahu said at the JNS International Policy Summit.

Netanyahu also warned that Iran will not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons under his leadership.

“No matter what happens in the talks, with an agreement or without an agreement, Iran will never have nuclear weapons as long as I am prime minister of Israel,” he said.

Israeli officials believe the gaps between Washington and Tehran remain too wide for a durable agreement, though Jerusalem does not intend to interfere directly in the talks. Officials also said Israel will not withdraw from southern Lebanon because of American pressure, though military adjustments could be made to protect IDF troops.

A senior Israeli security official said the IDF will remain along the “yellow line” in southern Lebanon “as long as there is no peace agreement, for the security of the communities.”

“There will be no withdrawal,” the official said.

Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed that position, saying Israel has “no intention” of withdrawing from Beaufort, a strategic ridge and historic fortress captured by the IDF in May during an operation against Hezbollah.

“Beaufort is an inseparable part of the security zone in Lebanon and is vital for the defense of the Galilee communities and IDF forces,” Katz wrote on X.

Netanyahu said Israel’s war is not with Lebanon, but with Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed terror group that has used southern Lebanon to threaten Israeli communities with rockets, drones, and cross-border attacks.

“We don’t have a war with Lebanon,” Netanyahu said. “We have a war with Hezbollah who terrorizes Lebanon and seeks our destruction.”

He added that once Hezbollah is dismantled or disarmed, Israel would be ready for peace with Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Iranian media reported that Tehran’s delegation in Switzerland left the talks site in protest after Trump warned Iran to stop its “highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon” from causing trouble or face another U.S. strike.

Trump also threatened action related to the Strait of Hormuz, saying the United States could become the “guardian angel” of the strategic oil route if necessary.

The talks were led by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and senior Iranian officials, with Qatar and Pakistan acting as mediators. Vance said Trump had authorized the U.S. team to seek a diplomatic solution and open “a new chapter” with the Iranian people.

Still, the negotiations remain fragile, especially as Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Iran’s nuclear program remain entangled in the broader regional crisis.

A new Agam Institute and Hebrew University study found deep Israeli skepticism over the recent Iran campaign and U.S. agreement. The poll found that 86% of Israelis reported negative feelings after the agreement, while 82.9% believe Israel’s long-term security has weakened.

The survey also found that 92.1% of Israelis believe Iran won or benefited more from the campaign, while only 7.9% credited Israel with victory.

For Netanyahu, the message remains firm: Israel will not rely on foreign guarantees while Hezbollah remains armed on its northern border and Iran continues to threaten the Jewish state.

Latest Worthy News