The Israel Defense Forces has been preparing for the possibility that an emerging deal between the US and Iran would force it to rein in its war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to Hebrew media reports on Sunday.

It was unclear as of Sunday afternoon whether any agreement to end the war with Iran would extend to Hezbollah, as, recently, the matter of Israel’s fight against the Iran-backed terror group has been dealt with in separate negotiations in Washington.

On Saturday, Hezbollah said that Tehran’s latest proposal submitted through Pakistani mediation to end the Iran war reaffirmed its demand that Lebanon be included in any ceasefire agreement. On Sunday, the terror group’s leader, Naim Qassem, reiterated that demand and urged Lebanese authorities to abandon direct talks with Israel, ahead of a fourth round of such discussions in Washington early next month

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, meanwhile Sunday, approved plans for the continuation of fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon after holding a situational assessment, the military said. During a visit to the Northern Command and later to the headquarters of the 401st Armored Brigade, which has been operating in Lebanon, Zamir said the IDF is “determined to deepen the blow against Hezbollah.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to address Lebanon’s possible inclusion in the US-Iran deal during a limited security cabinet meeting on Sunday evening, the Walla news site reported.

In his first comments on the emerging deal on Sunday, Netanyahu asserted he had received assurances from US President Donald Trump that Israel would retain freedom of action against military threats, “on every front, including........

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