Israel Pushes to Retain Lebanon Buffer Zone as Trump Presses Netanyahu for Restraint

Jerusalem-Israel is engaged in intensive negotiations with the United States over maintaining its military deployment in southern Lebanon, Israeli officials said on Thursday, highlighting a growing policy divide between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump over the future of the conflict with Hezbollah.

The discussions come a day after Washington and Tehran signed an interim agreement that commits participating parties to respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, a provision that could complicate Israel’s efforts to preserve a military presence in areas it has seized during recent operations.

Two Israeli officials, including a senior official close to Netanyahu, told Reuters that Israel is seeking U.S. acceptance of its continued troop deployment south of Lebanon’s Litani River, a strategically important area that Israeli leaders regard as essential to national security.

The senior official said Israel was conducting “stubborn negotiations” with Washington and would not retreat from its core position that troops should remain deployed in southern Lebanon despite mounting international pressure.

A second Israeli official said the outcome could ultimately depend on whether Trump chooses to exert direct pressure on Israel by linking compliance with the broader U.S.-Iran diplomatic framework to future bilateral cooperation.

Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Israel expanded military operations in southern Lebanon after Hezbollah launched attacks against Israeli territory on March 2 in support of Iran following the outbreak of hostilities involving Tehran and its regional allies. Israeli forces subsequently carried out a large-scale air and ground campaign aimed at degrading Hezbollah’s military infrastructure.

Israeli officials have described territory captured in Lebanon, Gaza and Syria as part of a network of “buffer zones” designed to provide strategic depth and reduce security threats along Israel’s borders. Netanyahu has consistently rejected calls for withdrawal from those areas, arguing that they are necessary to prevent future attacks.

The dispute over Lebanon has become one of the most visible points of friction between Trump and Netanyahu despite their close cooperation during the conflict with Iran.

Speaking at the conclusion of the G7 summit in France on Wednesday, Trump publicly urged the Israeli leader to exercise greater restraint in Lebanon and suggested that military actions should be calibrated to support diplomatic efforts rather than undermine them.

“Netanyahu happens to be a good man, gets a little excited sometimes,” Trump told reporters.

The U.S. president added that Israel could adopt a “softer touch” in dealing with Hezbollah and questioned the necessity of extensive military strikes in response to every perceived threat.

“We have a little dispute over Lebanon. I say you can do a little softer touch, Bibi,” Trump said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname.

The disagreement reflects broader tensions surrounding efforts to convert the U.S.-Iran interim agreement into a permanent settlement. Iran has repeatedly argued that any durable regional arrangement must include an end to hostilities in Lebanon and a withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied areas.

Netanyahu has maintained that Israel is not bound by agreements negotiated between Washington and Tehran and retains full freedom of action against Hezbollah.

Despite the public disagreements, Trump acknowledged Netanyahu’s role during the conflict with Iran and praised the close military coordination between the United States and Israel throughout the campaign.

Trump also rejected reports suggesting that Washington had excluded Israel from discussions surrounding the interim agreement, stating that he had personally shared the memorandum of understanding reached with Iran. The framework is expected to serve as the basis for broader U.S.-Iran negotiations scheduled to begin in Switzerland on Friday.

The talks over Lebanon underscore the challenge facing both governments as they attempt to balance military objectives, regional diplomacy and competing visions for post-conflict security arrangements across the Middle East.