Netanyahu shocked by Trump’s statement regarding Lebanon? Report claims Israel has asked US for clarification –

US President Donald Trump stunned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by announcing that Israel was “barred” from carrying out further air strikes in Lebanon, even as Iran announced it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping during a fragile regional ceasefire, according to inputs from Axios.Trump’s comments sparked immediate confusion in Israel and raised new questions about US policy toward the 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. At the same time, Tehran’s decision to reopen one of the world’s most important oil shipping lanes signaled a potential move in broader US-Iranian diplomacy.

“Israel will no longer bomb Lebanon. The United States prevents them from doing so. Enough!!!” Trump said Friday.Axios reported that Netanyahu and his advisors were shocked by the statement, especially since the terms of the ceasefire issued by the US State Department on Thursday explicitly preserved Israel’s right to self-defense against “planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.”According to Axios, Israeli officials contacted the White House for clarification after they learned of Trump’s comments through media reports.

Aides, including Israeli Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter, were reportedly quick to determine whether Washington had changed its position.After Axios requested comment, a US official said: “The President’s ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel clearly states that Israel will not carry out any offensive military operations against Lebanese targets but reserves its right to self-defense against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.”Trump later stressed in an interview with Axios, saying: “Israel has to stop. They can’t keep blowing up buildings. I won’t allow it.”Despite the ceasefire, military operations continued. Lebanese state media reported that an Israeli drone strike killed a motorcyclist in the southern town of Kunene shortly after Trump’s statement. Separately, an Israeli source said that Hezbollah violated the truce by attacking Israeli forces.The Israeli source said, “Our forces acted in self-defense to remove the threat in accordance with the ceasefire agreement reached with the United States and Lebanon.”Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi announced that commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will resume during the ceasefire in Lebanon.Araqchi said: “In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, it was announced that the passage of all commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz is fully open for the remainder of the ceasefire period.”But a senior Iranian military official said that military ships were still prohibited from crossing the waterway.Trump welcomed Iran’s announcement, but said that American pressure on Tehran will continue.“Thank you!” Trump tweeted, later adding: “The naval blockade will remain in full force and effect with respect to Iran, only, until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete.”He also wrote: “A great and wonderful day for the world!” He claimed that Iran had agreed that the strait “will no longer be used as a weapon against the world.”The Strait of Hormuz carries nearly a fifth of the world’s oil shipments, and reports indicate that oil prices fell further after Iran’s announcement amid hopes for an easing of regional tensions.

In Israel, the military said wartime restrictions had been lifted to allow civilian movement and economic activity to resume, although Netanyahu warned that operations against Hezbollah were not yet over.“We are not done with the job yet,” Netanyahu said. “There are things we plan to do to address the remaining missile threat and the drone threat.”