Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had opted for a gradual approach in negotiations with Lebanon, sources close to Netanyahu said on Friday.
This means that Israel will start with technical and procedural issues before moving to major files, depending on the trajectory of US-Iran talks that began in Pakistan.
The sources cited by Maariv said Netanyahu chose a relatively junior official to handle the file, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, after initially planning to appoint his close adviser, Ron Dermer.
They said Dermer disagreed with Netanyahu’s approach. He argued Israel should agree to a ceasefire on the Lebanese front to allow the Islamabad talks to proceed without disruption.
In discussions with US envoy Steve Witkoff, he concluded that the continued war with Lebanon was undermining negotiations with Iran and could give Tehran grounds to trigger a crisis that prolongs the talks.
That would in turn harm President Donald Trump, who faces mounting domestic pressure to prevent a return to war.
Dermer, who manages US-Israeli dialogue, believes Trump’s opponents are exploiting the war politically, accusing him of being pulled behind Netanyahu and his personal and partisan interests at the expense of US interests, damaging Israel’s standing in the US.
The Israeli military, however, opposes ending the war with Lebanon and insists negotiations proceed under fire. The stance reflects a public perception that operations have not met their objectives, alongside anger over continued shelling from Lebanon. The fire has expanded into southern Israel and, while causing limited physical damage, has spread panic and reinforced calls to press on.
A poll published Friday showed 79% of Israelis oppose halting the war before Hezbollah is dismantled and disarmed.
Netanyahu has aligned himself with the military, leaving Dermer in a difficult position as both seek a formula that would satisfy Washington.
Katz said Hezbollah is “pleading for a ceasefire, and its Iranian patrons are also applying pressure and issuing threats, out of serious concern that Israel will crush Hezbollah.”
Boaz Bismuth, head of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said the war could resume in the “coming days,” describing the current ceasefire as a temporary arrangement.
Seeking to reassure the public, especially in the north where rocket fire is heaviest, Katz said the “massive and unprecedented attack on Lebanon” had dealt Hezbollah a severe blow, leaving it “stunned and confused” due to the depth and scale of the strikes.
He said the “separation of fronts” agreement, led by Netanyahu, was a key achievement that allows Israel to act forcefully against Hezbollah under an organized plan, with forces ready to escalate if Iran opens fire.
Katz said the plan rests on four lines: the border line, including the destruction of homes in Lebanese border villages, a defense line inside Lebanon expanded from five to 15 points, an anti-tank defense line secured through ongoing ground operations, and the Litani line, which Israeli forces aim to control to prevent infiltration and block residents from returning south.
He added the military would also launch a powerful air campaign, modeled on operations against Iran, targeting operatives and rocket launch sites in the Litani area and across Lebanon outside it.
Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir approved additional plans to expand the war and ground operations in Lebanon after touring and assessing the situation near Bint Jbeil on Thursday.
“Our main combat arena is here in Lebanon. The objective defined for you is the removal of the direct threat to the residents of the north, which you are carrying out with determination,” Zamir said to troops, according to remarks published by the army.
He said the army remained at war, deepening ground operations and striking Hezbollah hard.
“This is a very powerful operation, and our forces are on the front lines and in depth,” he said. He added that strikes on Iran were also affecting Hezbollah, which he said had become isolated inside Lebanon and cut off from its “strategic artery” in Iran.
“The Lebanese government now understands more than ever the scale of the problem posed by the presence of a radical extremist terrorist organization on its territory,” he said.
