Israel minister says Lebanon 'should be Israel's playground'

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Monday called for rejecting any ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, describing the country as "Israel's playground" in remarks that underscore deepening disputes within the Israeli leadership over the war. Speaking to Israel's public broadcaster KAN, Ben-Gvir said Israel cannot agree to a ceasefire and urged Netanyahu to convey this rejection to Trump.

"Trump is a true friend, and we must treat him politely and embrace him, but we need to tell him that we cannot agree to a ceasefire in Lebanon," Ben-Gvir said. "We are the ones making decisions, and there are good results for our soldiers," he added, referring to ongoing military operations.

Concerns over US diplomacy

Ben-Gvir's opposition comes amid growing disputes within Israeli political and security circles over a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran and its implications for the Lebanese front. Israeli news site i24NEWS, citing officials, reported that Tel Aviv fears a US-Iran agreement could strengthen Tehran, claiming the Trump administration "misunderstands the ideology driving Tehran and Hezbollah" and that officials said "Trump doesn't speak Shia" in reference to alleged failures to understand Iran's system.

War toll and Washington talks

Israel and Lebanon are set to hold a fifth round of negotiations in Washington on Tuesday, as criticism grows inside Israel over Washington's handling of talks with Iran and Hezbollah. Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed more than 4,100 people and injured over 12,000 others since March 2, according to official Lebanese figures, while Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon.