Published on 6/26/2026
Israeli media revealed escalating disagreements within the Israeli Mini-Ministerial Council for Political and Security Affairs (Cabinet) regarding the restrictions imposed on the movements of the Israeli army in southern Lebanon under the ceasefire agreement.
This comes at a time when American pressure on Tel Aviv continues to prevent the collapse of the truce, in conjunction with the ongoing negotiations in Washington between the Lebanese and Israeli delegations.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said that the cabinet session held on Thursday evening witnessed sharp criticism from a number of ministers of the operational restrictions imposed on Israeli forces, following the attack that resulted in the injury of two Israeli officers and two soldiers in southern Lebanon yesterday, Thursday.
According to the newspaper, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir responded to the ministers’ complaints by saying: “You are the ones who wanted a ceasefire,” indicating that the current restrictions are a direct result of the agreement approved by the government.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to reassure the ministers, stressing that Israeli soldiers have the authority to respond to any direct threat. He said, “Soldiers on the ground respond to any direct threat, and we do not impose any restrictions on any soldier,” adding that the United States understands Israel’s right to defend itself.
Ben Gvir calls for ending the agreement
The meeting witnessed tough positions from extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who renewed his opposition to the ceasefire agreement, considering that the injury of soldiers represents an opportunity to end it.
Ben Gvir asked during the meeting: “If you see Hezbollah arming, why don’t you eliminate it?”, before adding: “I do not want a ceasefire, and this is precisely why.”
Following the incident of the soldiers being injured, the far-right minister called for expanding military operations, saying: “There are soldiers who were injured, and we can bomb hundreds of targets,” considering that the continuation of the agreement restricts the army’s ability to confront Hezbollah.
For her part, Settlement Minister Orit Struck said that the soldiers criticize the current policy, adding that they “feel as if they are on a shooting range,” while Negev and Galilee Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf complained that Israeli forces cannot deal with threats coming from behind what is known as the “yellow line.”
As for Defense Minister Israel Katz, he acknowledged that the ceasefire agreement has “advantages and disadvantages,” but stressed that the army does not expose its soldiers to danger, stressing that every soldier has the right to respond immediately to any threat.
4 soldiers were injured
The revelation of these differences came after the Israeli army announced, today, Friday, that 4 of its members were wounded during an operation in the Beit Yakhon area in southern Lebanon.
The army stated that a Hezbollah fighter approached a force belonging to the 769th Combat Brigade and threw a grenade at it, wounding an officer with moderate injuries, and another officer and two soldiers with minor injuries, before the force responded by shooting and killing him, according to the army statement.
Washington negotiations
These developments come as Washington hosts the fifth round of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, which the United States decided to extend for an additional day after it was scheduled to conclude on Thursday, in light of American efforts to reach understandings that prevent the collapse of the ceasefire.
According to what was reported by Yedioth Ahronoth, tension prevails in the atmosphere of the negotiations, but American pressure is pushing the two parties towards making mutual concessions.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the talks focus on reaching understandings regarding experimental areas to disarm Hezbollah, in preparation for the withdrawal of the Israeli army from some of the areas it controls, with the Lebanese army assuming responsibility for deployment there.
Disagreement with Washington
These internal debates in Israel coincide with increasing reports of disagreements between Tel Aviv and Washington regarding the management of the Lebanese file, especially after the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18, and began negotiations between them to reach a broader agreement to end the escalation in the region.
In this context, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz confirmed, during a conference of the Local Government Center, that Israel will not withdraw from southern Lebanon even if there are American demands to do so.
Katz said: “Even if there is an American request, the Israeli army will not withdraw from southern Lebanon. We will not leave the security zone in Syria and Lebanon, as this is the security concept that protects the settlements, and the army will remain inside the region.”
Israel still occupies a number of areas inside Lebanese territory, some of them for decades, while it controlled other areas during the war that broke out between 2023 and 2024, and also during the last war, despite the validity of a ceasefire agreement, at a time when Beirut accuses Israel of continuing to violate the agreement through air strikes and military operations inside Lebanese territory.
