Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday expressed hope that a deal between Washington and Tehran to end the Middle East war would put a "definitive end" to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. In a statement issued by his office, Aoun praised the memorandum's affirmation that "Lebanon's security and safety are an integral part of any effort to consolidate stability in the region". The Lebanese people "look forward to these understandings transforming into practical steps that put a definitive end to the cycle of violence and establish a phase of stability, security, recovery and reconstruction," the statement added. Israel’s defense minister said Monday that Israel won’t withdraw from land occupied in Lebanon as the interim deal between Iran and the United States is pending. Katz said Israel plans to stay “indefinitely” in lands it holds in Lebanon, as well as Syria and the Gaza Strip. Iran has tied the interim deal over the war to halting Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon. Meanwhile, two Israeli far-right ministers denounced the deal. "We must not settle for anything less than the dismantling of Hezbollah. We must not withdraw from a single inch of territory that our soldiers have captured and cleared of terrorist infrastructure," National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on his Telegram channel said. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also echoed the sentiment, calling the deal "bad for Israel". He also called for a stronger campaign in Lebanon. "We will be judged in Lebanon. This is our war, our soldiers, and the immediate security of our northern residents," he said.
