US President Donald Trump has publicly criticised Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, saying the conflict has gone on for too long and resulted in excessive civilian casualties. Speaking on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France, Trump said Israel was “fighting Hezbollah too long” and that “too many people are being killed”, urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to act more responsibly. Trump also suggested that Syria’s leadership could be better positioned to confront Hezbollah if Israel cannot achieve its objectives without heavy civilian losses.
The remarks come amid growing tensions surrounding a proposed US-Iran agreement, in which the situation in Lebanon has emerged as a central issue. Trump has pledged to release the text of the agreement within days, although US officials have reportedly sought to downplay the significance of its wording, arguing that it does not fully reflect understandings reached through diplomacy. Reports indicate that Israel requested access to the agreement’s text but was denied. At the same time, Iranian officials have linked progress on the broader deal to developments in Lebanon, particularly the continued presence of Israeli forces and ongoing military operations.
Iran has accused Israel of violating the Lebanon ceasefire dozens of times since the US-Iran memorandum of understanding was announced and has warned that continued attacks could trigger a “harsh response”.The warning followed Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon that reportedly killed four people. Iranian military officials say Israeli forces carried out 84 violations of the truce over a 48-hour period and insist that any breach of the ceasefire threatens the wider diplomatic process between Tehran and Washington. Meanwhile, residents of southern Lebanon are continuing to return to towns and villages south of the Litani River despite warnings from Lebanese authorities. Many have found extensive destruction, with damaged infrastructure, collapsed homes and devastated neighbourhoods highlighting the scale of the conflict.
Fighting has eased since the announcement of the US-Iran understanding, but sporadic violence continues. Hezbollah officials say the group has not conducted operations since the agreement was announced, while maintaining that Israel must also comply with ceasefire commitments. Israeli leaders, however, have indicated that military operations against perceived security threats will continue and that forces will remain on alert along the country’s northern frontier. Lebanon remains the most sensitive element of the emerging US-Iran framework. With negotiations approaching a critical stage, both Washington and Tehran are facing pressure from domestic critics who argue that key issues remain unresolved, including the future of armed groups in the region, security arrangements along the Israel-Lebanon border and mechanisms for monitoring compliance.
