Live updates: Iran war news; Iran’s IRGC threatens to retaliate after US strikes on launch sites and boats
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will convene his security cabinet this evening for the first time since reports emerged of a developing US-Iran agreement, drawing sharp criticism from Israeli officials who privately describe it is a “bad idea.”
While Netanyahu has avoided publicly criticizing US President Donald Trump, two Israeli sources told CNN that in private discussions he has acknowledged having limited influence over Washington’s decision making and the negotiations with Iran.
The emerging deal, as currently understood by Israeli officials, leaves core Israeli concerns about Iran’s nuclear program and its stockpile of enriched uranium unaddressed.
Moreover, Iran is reportedly pushing to reinforce a ceasefire in Lebanon, while Hezbollah has been intensifying its daily drone and UAV attacks on Israeli troops and northern border communities.
Netanyahu is facing mounting pressure both from political rivals and members of his own coalition. Gadi Eisenkot, a former IDF chief of staff now leading a party aiming to replace Netanyahu after the next election, described the situation as “a forced ceasefire, on unfavorable terms for Israel, that endangers residents of the north and IDF soldiers.”
Netanyahu’s far-right political allies, ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, have both called for a more aggressive military response.
Ben Gvir urged Netanyahu to confront Trump and “make it clear that the state of Israel cannot tolerate this,” while Smotrich argued that “a strategic threat is not answered with defense alone, but by changing the rules and the equation.”
“For every explosive drone, 10 buildings in Beirut must fall,” Smotrich said.
Against the backdrop of the criticism, Netanyahu put out a video statement Monday declaring that the IDF will intensify its strikes in Lebanon, following a day of extensive drone fire by Hezbollah.
“We must increase the blows, increase the intensity. We will strike them decisively,” Netanyahu said.
