U.S. President Donald Trump has given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approval to take action against Hezbollah if the Lebanese state fails to disarm the Iran-backed terror group, according to a Jerusalem Post exclusive citing a source familiar with the talks.
Although Lebanon and Hezbollah were only briefly discussed during Monday’s meeting at Mar-a-Lago, Israeli and American positions were described as fully aligned. Trump reiterated his long-standing stance that “Hezbollah must be completely disarmed,” and signaled U.S. backing should Israel determine that military action is necessary.
“If the Lebanese army doesn’t succeed in disarming them, and Israel believes an action is the necessary thing to do, then the U.S. backs Israel,” the source said.
Ahead of the meeting, Trump publicly criticized Hezbollah’s conduct, saying the group “has been behaving badly,” while noting that the Lebanese government remains at a disadvantage when confronting the powerful militia.
The apparent U.S. green light has drawn notice in Beirut. Hezbollah-affiliated newspaper Al-Akhbar warned that the Netanyahu-Trump meeting could usher in “changes and new developments” early next year. At the same time, Al-Joumhouria reported that Trump appeared to have given Israel approval to act.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts regarding the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire continue. In recent weeks, the oversight committee monitoring the agreement — which includes representatives from Israel, Lebanon, the United States, the United Nations, and France — has expanded its talks to include civilian officials for the first time. Former ambassador to Washington Simon Karam represented Lebanon, while Dr. Yossi Draznin, deputy head of the National Security Council, represented Israel.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, discussions have moved beyond ceasefire monitoring to include economic initiatives aimed at reinforcing security and stability along the northern border. The efforts are being actively encouraged by U.S. officials, including President Trump’s envoy for Lebanon, Morgan Ortagus.
“The meeting was a continuation of the security dialogue aimed at ensuring the disarmament of Hezbollah by the Lebanese Armed Forces,” the Prime Minister’s Office said. “Participants also discussed ways to advance economic initiatives to demonstrate the shared interest in removing the Hezbollah threat and ensuring sustainable security for residents on both sides of the border.”
Another round of talks is expected next week, with a continued focus on the ceasefire framework and potential economic cooperation — even as the prospect of Israeli action against Hezbollah looms larger following the Netanyahu-Trump meeting.
