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Renewed fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed militia group Hezbollah is testing a preliminary deal between the U.S. and Iran to begin nuclear talks and avoid a return to all out war.
Iran has made a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Hezbollah is based, a priority condition to continue talks with the U.S., and a planned meeting in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, between Iranian officials and Vice President JD Vance was postponed Friday.
Israel on Friday said it retaliated against rocketfire and drone strikes by Hezbollah that violated a ceasefire agreement agreed by the U.S. and Iran. The Israel Defense Forces said on Friday that an explosive drone impact in southern Lebanon injured four troops. The IDF said four IDF soldiers fell in combat against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon on Thursday night.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the IDF struck over 80 targets and “eliminated dozens of terrorists” and also carried out attacks in the Beqaa Valley – northwest of Beirut.
“My directive is clear: Israel will not tolerate attacks on our soldiers or our territory,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “And it will exact a very heavy price from Hezbollah for these attacks.”
The outbreak of fighting delayed planned talks between the U.S. and Iran in Bürgenstock to move forward a Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier this week.
The Swiss Foreign Ministry announced that the talks are postponed.
“Switzerland remains ready to facilitate these talks.,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
“The relevant preparatory work at Bürgenstock is continuing. No further information can be provided at present.”
A key pillar of the MOU included a ceasefire in Lebanon, although U.S. officials stressed that it would not hold Israel back from self-defensive actions against Hezbollah, and would not require an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
Still, President Trump has let loose frustrations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for what he frames as an overreaction on Israel’s part to striking Hezbollah, scolding the Israeli leader for attacking targets in Beirut, specifically.
Netanyahu has acknowledged that he and Trump don’t always see “eye to eye.” Israeli officials have come out against the U.S.-Iran deal for tying Israel’s hands without it being a party to the agreement, and attacked Netanyahu as pushing the U.S. away and towards a deal with Iran.
Vice President JD Vance on Thursday lashed out at Israeli officials for criticizing the U.S. deal with Iran, pointing out U.S. support for Israel in the face of isolation on the global stage.
“If I was in the Cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,” Vance said.
“The other thing that I would say is that over the last three months, two-thirds of the defensive weapons that protected your homeland have been built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars.”
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