Vance warns Israel not to alienate its ‘only powerful ally’ over Iran deal

U.S. Vice President JD Vance issued a pointed rebuke to Israeli critics of the Trump administration's memorandum of understanding with Iran on Thursday, warning them not to alienate Washington as a widening gap emerges between the two allies over the terms of a deal that calls for a permanent end to hostilities in Lebanon.

"Wake Up and Smell the Reality"

Speaking at a White House press briefing, Vance took aim at members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet who have publicly attacked the agreement and, in some cases, personally criticized President Trump.jns+1

"Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time, and he happens to be the head of state of the world's superpower," Vance said. "If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world."jns

Vance credited Netanyahu with refraining from direct attacks on Trump, but reminded Israeli leaders that "two-thirds of the defensive weapons that have protected your homeland have been built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars." He added that anyone in Israel who views Trump as their biggest problem needs to "wake up and smell the reality of the situation that country is in."jns

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir are among those who have publicly opposed the MOU, with Ben-Gvir declaring that Israel would not be bound by the deal.jns

Lebanon Emerges as Central Flashpoint

The MOU, signed by Trump at the Palace of Versailles on Wednesday, calls for the "immediate and permanent cessation of military operations across all fronts, including Lebanon" and commits both parties to respecting Lebanese territorial integrity and sovereignty. Israel was excluded from the negotiations despite the deal's direct implications for its military operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.npr+1

On Thursday, the Israeli military published a map showing an expanded zone of control in southern Lebanon, with forces operating north of the Litani River near the Hezbollah stronghold of Nabatieh. A senior Israeli official told Reuters Thomson Reuters Corporation ↗ 0.89% that Israel is engaged in "stubborn negotiations" with Washington over maintaining its troop presence, adding that the outcome will depend on whether Trump "chooses to pressure the matter" by threatening consequences.reuters+2

A Deal Under Strain From All Sides

Vance also told reporters that "you can't just kill your way out of all your national security problems," pushing back against the Israeli stance that continued military operations are necessary. Oil tankers began transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday as the U.S. naval blockade was officially lifted, marking the first concrete step in implementing the agreement.i24news+2

Yet multiple parties remain opposed. Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem, who rejected a prior U.S.-brokered Lebanon ceasefire proposal in early June as "surrender," has signaled resistance to the deal's terms, insisting that "as long as the occupation exists, the resistance will continue." The 60-day clock to reach a final agreement began Thursday, with Vance set to lead the American delegation to talks in Geneva this weekend.reuters+3