• Israel claims to have killed another Hezbollah fighter in southern Lebanon
• Israeli media report that the withdrawal of troops from two “pilot zones” in Zawthar and Froun has been delayed, pending an agreement on a US oversight mechanism.

Lebanon’s fragile ‘ceasefire’ – Three months later

While officials describe the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel as a roadmap towards ending hostilities, critics question whether Lebanon traded accountability for a ceasefire.

Read:

Ghalibaf says US, Iran have appointed envoys to Lebanon ‘de-confliction’ cell

• Ghalibaf says that “Iran and Oman have already reached agreement on all legal and service-related matters” on the administration of maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz.
• He said negotiations with the US will not progress until five clauses of the MoU are implemented, including a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, securing Iranian oil exports and the release of frozen Iranian assets.
• He noted that Iran, the US and Lebanon have agreed to establish a “de-confliction cell” and that Tehran and Washington have now appointed representatives. Beirut is expected to do the same before the cell becomes operational.
• He also argued that the Iran-US MoU seeks to preserve Lebanon’s independence, while the separate US-brokered framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel seeks to guarantee Israeli security.

Democratic lawmaker says US ‘should not spend another cent’ on Israel’s genocide

Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian-American member of Congress, says she will back a bill to block some $3.3bn in military aid to Israel, ahead of a vote set to take place later this week.

“We should not spend another cent arming a military that is committing genocide in Palestine, ethnically cleansing Lebanon, and committing war crimes in Iran,” she wrote on X.

“A majority of Americans and a supermajority of Democrats support ending military aid to Israel. It’s time their representatives listened.”

Other Democratic lawmakers who have said they would vote in favour of the bill include Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Greg Casar and Ilhan Omar.

The bill was proposed by Republican lawmaker Thomas Massie, who opposes US interventions abroad, including the war on Iran. The Kentucky lawmaker has angered Trump and lost his Republican House primary election in May to a challenger backed by the US president.

The race was the most expensive primary for the US House in history.

US, Gulf allies sanction Hezbollah-linked financial institutions

The Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TTFC), a joint US and Gulf initiative, has sanctioned parts of Hezbollah’s financial infrastructure, including 16 individuals and five entities.

The US Department of Treasury said the targets include Al-Qard al-Hassan, Bayt al-Mal, as well as their senior leaders.

Al-Qard al-Hassan is a nonprofit financial institution that offers interest-free loans to people and is one of the many charity organisations run by Hezbollah, including schools, hospitals and low-price grocery stores.

The Terrorist Financing Targeting Center was established in May 2017 during the first Trump presidency and includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

Democrats split over cutting $3.3bn in aid to Israel

About the upcoming vote in the US House of Representatives on a bill to cut $3.3bn in funding for Israel.

According to The Hill, a US news outlet, Democratic leaders have urged members to vote with their conscience following a “fraught” caucus meeting on the issue. Congressman Bennie Thompson expressed shock at the conversions about Israel, telling The Hill: “I’ve been around a long time, I’ve never seen it.”

The amendment is expected to fail, according to The Hill, with Republicans unlikely to back the measure and Democrats split on it.

Progressive Democrats, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib, have expressed support while centrist Democrats have opposed it.

Greg Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told US outlet Jewish Insider that he opposed the measure, saying, “I don’t want Israel to be without what they need.”

Adam Smith, the ranking democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, also told the Jewish Insider he opposed the measure because it would cut “humanitarian aid, military aid – all aid for Israel”.

Voting on the measure is expected this week, according to Tlaib.

Evolution under fire: Iran’s ‘axis of resistance’ in a post-war era

The MoU between the US and Iran has halted more than three months of direct warfare.

The agreement, which includes lifting a US naval blockade and establishing a $300bn reconstruction fund for Iran, has fundamentally altered the geopolitical landscape.

The MoU represents a strategic setback for Washington’s initial war aims, effectively abandoning the goal of regime change. The framework also signals a potential end to Israeli ambitions of uncontested regional hegemony, with the US implicitly recognizing Iran as a legitimate regional power.

However, this prolonged conflict has imposed a severe stress test on Iran’s “axis of resistance” – the regional network of pro-Iranian allied forces, including the Lebanese group Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthis and armed groups in Iraq.

The head of Lebanon’s Finance and Budget Committee, Ibrahim Kanaan, has met President Joseph Aoun to discuss the ceasefire with Israel signed in Washington, DC, and the next course of action for the government.

“The state’s right to bear arms is a Lebanese matter and a necessity for the protection of Lebanon, particularly in the aftermath of the war,” the Lebanese Presidency quoted Kanaan as saying in a post on X.

“After the meeting my conviction and commitment to the goals of the president of the republic grew even stronger, foremost among them the full liberation of the land in accordance with international borders, the return of the displaced, and then reconstruction.”

The post quoted him as adding: “National unity is the foundation – undermining it today will only reinforce division and occupation and bring about the destruction of the homeland.”

Lebanon seems to be sticking point’ in Doha US-Iran talks

At least three sets of working groups are in Doha. They’re working on a number of issues including the issue of Lebanon, so it’s a complicated layer-cake of diplomacy that needs to be discussed, because the Iranians have said they won’t move forward unless the MoU is respected. Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon seems to be a sticking point.
 

Israel’s ‘expansionist policy’ is chaos for the Middle East: Turkey

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara says Turkey has discussed with allies at every opportunity possible measures to stop Israel from its military push throughout the region.

“[Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s expansionist policy is one that supports chaos, instability, war, tears, destruction, and genocide in the region,” said Fidan.

The rhetoric between the two sides has heated up over Israel’s military invasions of Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.

Lebanon deal tests US push for regional calm

Lebanon has become central to Washington’s broader effort to calm tensions in the Middle East and bring the conflict with Iran to an end.

Following the trilateral agreement signed by Israel, Lebanon and the US, the focus now is on commitments from all three sides.

The deal was not easy to reach. It took five rounds of negotiations, with the border, Hezbollah’s disarmament and Israel’s demand for security guarantees among the biggest sticking points.

Israel wants assurances that Hezbollah will not be able to re-establish any military presence along Lebanon’s border.

For the US, the challenge is making sure the so-called “pilot zones” can be implemented, while ensuring Israel lives up to its commitments and prevents further escalation.

Whether it’s US-Iran talks or Israel-Lebanon tensions, the issue now comes down to implementation – and whether these agreements can hold.