Israel’s Lebanon dilemma: Confront Hezbollah without angering Trump, triggering Iran

TEL AVIV — As Israel and Lebanon implement a pilot project involving an Israeli military withdrawal from two villages in the south and the Lebanese military taking control of the area, Israeli political and security sources say the Lebanese military is not going far enough to disarm Hezbollah in these villages, where private homes hold its weapons caches. The White House was fully on board in reaching the November 2024 ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon and beginning its implementation. Meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the Oval Office on July 21, US President Donald Trump even said he would be willing to speak with Hezbollah if Beirut asked him to do so — something none of his predecessors has ever done. Advancing an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon could benefit Trump politically ahead of the November midterm elections, with his Republican party currently trailing the Democrats in most polls. But with the latest escalation, the US president might not get his wish, as Israel is inching closer every day to reopening the front against Hezbollah. Tense standoff