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The Israeli army is preparing for a prolonged presence in Lebanon despite a U.S.-Iran agreement aimed at ending the war across multiple fronts, Israeli media reported Tuesday.
The army is “ready to remain in Lebanon for a long period” if instructed to do so by Israel’s political leadership, Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported, citing unnamed security sources.
The sources said the military remains prepared for “all scenarios in Lebanon,” even as Washington and Tehran move toward signing a peace agreement in Switzerland on Friday.
According to the report, Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon remain ongoing, alongside incidents of gunfire directed toward northern Israel.
The report came hours after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran included commitments to halt military escalation across the region, including in Lebanon.
Earlier Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said ending the war in Lebanon is “an integral part” of the agreement with Washington and would also include an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
Meanwhile, Iran’s military warned Israel on Tuesday that continued attacks in southern Lebanon could trigger a military response, accusing Israeli forces of violating an ongoing ceasefire 84 times over the past two days.
In a statement carried by ISNA news agency, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said Israeli forces had continued military operations in southern Lebanon despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that the war had ended.
The command said Israeli forces violated the ceasefire 84 times during the past two days and continued attacks that caused casualties in Lebanon.
It warned that if Israeli forces do not halt what it described as aggression in southern Lebanon, they should expect a “strong response” from Iran’s armed forces.
The statement came amid continuing tensions along the Lebanese-Israeli border despite a recent understanding between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending the conflict that erupted after Israel and the United States launched attacks against Iran on Feb. 28.
Iranian officials have repeatedly said that ending Israeli attacks across regional fronts, particularly in Lebanon, is among the main objectives of the memorandum of understanding expected to be signed between Tehran and Washington on Friday.
Israeli officials, however, have indicated that military operations in Lebanon will continue despite the anticipated agreement, raising doubts about prospects for de-escalation on the Lebanese front.
The United States and Iran announced earlier this week that they had reached a memorandum of understanding to end the war launched by Washington and Israel against Iran on Feb. 28.
The agreement is also expected to address the situation in Lebanon and reportedly calls for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory.
While Trump has said the agreement is already complete and that the Strait of Hormuz will be fully reopened by Friday, Iranian officials have maintained that the memorandum is scheduled to be formally signed in Geneva on Friday.
Israel has been conducting military operations in Lebanon since March 2, leaving thousands of people dead or wounded and displacing more than one million others, according to official figures.
Israeli forces continue to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, some held for decades and others seized during the 2023-2024 conflict. During the current offensive, Israeli troops advanced more than 10 kilometers (6.21 miles) into Lebanese territory.
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