WASHINGTON: US intelligence agencies have warned that Israel could potentially undermine President Donald Trump’s efforts to secure a lasting peace agreement with Iran, according to a recent assessment cited by current and former US officials in a report by The Washington Post.
The assessment said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is increasingly likely to push for an expanded military campaign against Hezbollah ahead of elections, and that such actions could threaten progress toward a US-Iran diplomatic deal.
The warning comes amid rising tensions in Lebanon, where Israel appears determined to continue military operations against Hezbollah despite a key component of the US-Iran framework calling for an end to hostilities in the region.
The report noted that Netanyahu is facing domestic pressure to sustain the campaign in Lebanon and avoid any action that could be interpreted as a political or military setback.
Israel launched airstrikes across southern Lebanon on Friday following a Hezbollah drone attack that killed four Israeli soldiers. The escalation came as US and Iranian officials delayed planned talks in Switzerland.