Israel retains right to act against Hezbollah violations, U.S. assures

Israeli media outlets, including Channel 13, revealed on Wednesday the details of assurances provided by the United States to Israeli authorities.

This disclosure came just hours after a ceasefire in Lebanon took effect, marking fourteen months of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

The leaked text, which accompanies the agreement between Beirut and Jerusalem, outlines the U.S.'s commitments to Israel, particularly recognizing Israel's "right to respond to threats" from Hezbollah.

Key Points of the U.S. Assurances

According to the leaked document, the assurances provided by Washington include the following provisions:

1. Intelligence Sharing:
   Israel and the United States will share sensitive intelligence on violations, including potential Hezbollah infiltration into the Lebanese army.
2. Third-Party Information Sharing:
   The U.S. reserves the right to share intelligence provided by Israel with approved third parties, such as the Lebanese government or relevant committees, to address violations.
3. Curbing Iran’s Influence:
   The U.S. commits to cooperating with Israel to counter destabilizing activities by Iran in Lebanon, specifically efforts to transfer weapons or other forms of support from Iran.
4. Israel’s Right to Respond:
   The U.S. acknowledges Israel's right to respond to threats originating from Lebanese territory in accordance with international law.
5. Southern Lebanon Operations:
   In the southern zone, Israel retains the right to act at any time if there are violations of the ceasefire agreement.
6. Action Beyond the Southern Zone:
   Outside the southern region, Israel reserves the right to act against escalating threats if Lebanon cannot or will not address them. This includes preventing the smuggling of illegal weapons into Lebanon via borders or entry points.
7. Notification of Actions:
   If Israel decides to take action, it will notify the U.S. whenever possible.
8. Israeli Aerial Operations:
   Israeli overflights of Lebanon will be conducted solely for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance purposes. These operations will aim to be undetectable to the naked eye and will avoid creating sonic booms.