Israeli defence minister says Trump prevented Israel from eliminating Hezbollah in Lebanon: Report

Published 30 June 2026 · politics

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has claimed that US President Donald Trump prevented Israel from fully eliminating Hezbollah during its military campaign in Lebanon, saying

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has claimed that US President Donald Trump prevented Israel from fully eliminating Hezbollah during its military campaign in Lebanon, saying American pressure forced changes to Israel's operational plans, according to a report in The New York Post. Katz reportedly said Israel's close partnership with the United States came with limitations during the conflict. "Having a partnership with the United States has certain constraints," The New York Post quoted Katz as saying after obtaining a translated transcript of the briefing. 'Netanyahu stood bravely' Katz said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resisted repeated US requests to scale back military operations.

"Netanyahu stood bravely" against Trump's demands that the Israel Defense Forces leave Lebanon through four phone calls, Katz said, according to the news outlet. Claims Iran pressured the US Katz alleged that Iran encouraged Washington to pressure Israel to halt its offensive. "Iran constantly pressured the United States to pressure Israel, in order to stop this," Katz reportedly said. "At that time, we were attacking all of Lebanon, I remind you." He further claimed Hezbollah sought Iranian intervention as Israeli operations intensified. "Hezbollah... in a panic pressured Iran to connect the arenas," Katz said, referring to linking the Lebanon front with the US-Iran ceasefire.

Disagreement over Beirut strikes According to Katz, Netanyahu eventually agreed not to target buildings in Beirut, a decision the defence minister said he opposed. Netanyahu agreed not to "take down buildings" in Beirut but insisted on continuing "surgical attacks," Katz said. Trump prioritised Iran negotiations, Katz claims Katz suggested that Trump's push to preserve prospects for negotiations with Iran influenced the US position on Lebanon. "I'm sorry for that connection [of the cease-fire extending to Lebanon], but it was an American interest, that [Trump] really, really wanted to promote the possibility of negotiations with Iran, etc., and he saw this as an obstacle to it," Katz was quoted as saying by the news outlet.

Katz reportedly said the strategy later shifted to keeping Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, where Israel and Lebanon agreed last week that Israeli forces could remain until Hezbollah is defeated. Also Read | Uncertainty continues over US-Iran talks in Qatar