US rejects Netanyahu’s request to extend Israel presence in Lebanon amid ceasefire violations

The US has firmly rejected Benjamin Netanyahu’s request for extending Israel’s military presence in southern Lebanon, insisting that the occupation army must withdraw by the 18 February deadline, the Jerusalem Post reports.

Despite Netanyahu’s appeals to President Donald Trump for support to maintain the presence of Israeli soldiers at five key border points, US National Security Council Spokesperson Brian Hughes reportedly stated categorically that “Israel’s withdrawal remains on the existing timeline, and they did not request an extension.”

The development appears to signal a hardening of Trump’s position towards Israeli military operations beyond Gaza. The original 60-day ceasefire agreement was due to expire on 27 January, but Israel failed to withdraw, claiming the Lebanese Army had not fully deployed in southern Lebanon. While the US initially accommodated this by granting an extension until 18 February, it has now ruled out any further delays.

Lebanon, however, has accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire deal and filed a complaint against the occupation state with the UN Security Council. Lebanese media has reported over 830 Israeli breaches since the ceasefire came into force.

Read Israel accused of more ceasefire violations in Lebanon

Morgan Ortagus, Trump’s deputy special envoy to the Middle East, reinforced this position during weekend visits to Lebanon and Israel, where she toured the northern border with Israeli officials. This comes amid recent violations of the ceasefire, including Israeli air strikes on an alleged Hezbollah tunnel crossing from Lebanon into Syria and strikes on munitions sites in Lebanon.

The original agreement required Lebanon’s military to deploy alongside UN peacekeepers as Israel withdrew, with Hezbollah pulling back north of the Litani River. While Israel claims Lebanon has not met its obligations, the US administration maintains the Lebanese Army will be fully deployed by the new deadline.

Trump’s stance on Lebanon comes as he also signals an unexpected shift in approach towards Iran, potentially frustrating Israeli interests. While signing a new presidential memorandum for maximum pressure sanctions on Iran, Trump expressed reluctance, stating: “I am signing this, but I am unhappy to do it.” More significantly, Trump broke with long-standing US policy by acknowledging that “many people at the top ranks of Iran do not want to have a nuclear weapon.”

According to analyst Trita Parsi, this challenges a key assumption behind Netanyahu’s portrayal of Iran as an irrational actor determined to acquire nuclear weapons, and suggests Trump may be more interested in reaching a deal with Iran than implementing harsh sanctions.

Read: Israel burns down homes in Lebanese town despite ceasefire