Diverse Hebrew Reports on the Ceasefire in Lebanon

Translation by SadaNews - Hebrew media, released on Friday, focused on the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon announced yesterday, which will last for 10 days.

The opinions of newspapers on the agreement varied, with some seeing it as advantageous for Israel, while others regarded it as a defeat.

In a report by Yediot Aharonot, it was mentioned that U.S. President Donald Trump's imposition of the agreement on Israel stems from his desire for the fighting in Lebanon not to hinder reaching an agreement with Iran, should Tehran, Washington, and the Pakistani mediator succeed in establishing a mutually agreed framework to end the war. This was also translated by SadaNews.

The newspaper states: "Superficially, it seems that the ceasefire in Lebanon does not improve Israel's situation nor the Israeli army's efforts to impose the disarmament of Hezbollah in Lebanon."

It further added: "Nevertheless, it remains uncertain whether an agreement can be reached with Iran, making it unclear whether the ceasefire with Lebanon will last more than ten days or if fighting will resume in less than two weeks."

The report expressed that the agreement actually presents more advantages than disadvantages for Israel, with the main advantage being that the ceasefire will provide respite for residents of settlements and cities in the north after more than a month of suffering. It would also allow the Israeli government to dedicate the necessary time to implement urgent measures for the northern population, such as providing shelter and other services, which currently complicate the situation for residents of Galilee and northern Israel, in addition to the threats posed by Hezbollah.

For the Israeli army, this is also an opportunity to return some soldiers home and work on rehabilitating tanks, armored personnel carriers, and all supplies, as well as organizing the logistical situation.

The newspaper believes that the continued siege of the city of Bint Jbeil, and if the United States does not pressure Israel to allow besieged Hezbollah members to leave the city, then the advantage of their siege for another ten days would be beneficial for Israel.

The ceasefire also allows the Israeli army to gather intensive intelligence across Lebanon, and the Air Force will be able to draw lessons so that if fighting resumes, even in the distant future, the army will be better equipped to deal more comprehensively and lethally with Hezbollah's rocket and drone launches, according to the newspaper. This was also translated by SadaNews.

The newspaper remarked: "Experience shows that Hezbollah will also try to exploit the ceasefire to reorganize its ranks and attempt to remain hidden from Israeli intelligence. However, we have seen over the past two and a half years that the Israeli army better utilizes periods of calm between fierce battles to enhance its capabilities," it stated.

In another report, the paper noted that there are tactical achievements that can be made if handled well and turned into strategic accomplishments.

It observed that the current agreement is much better than the previous one in 2024, and that Israel has achieved two significant tactical accomplishments: first, its control over the "anti-tank defense line," and second, its establishment within 10 kilometers deep into Lebanese territory.

On a political level, the newspaper, as translated by SadaNews, concluded that the Weitzman-Kushner team succeeded over the Netanyahu team in completely separating the Lebanon front from Iran, indicating that U.S. envoys strongly pressured Trump to reach the agreement.

The newspaper stated: "From Netanyahu's perspective, he agreed to accept the ceasefire with Lebanon to avoid being accused of undermining negotiations between the United States and Iran, which are crucial for Israel."

It added: "Although linking Iran and Hezbollah is problematic, Netanyahu sacrificed a soldier to protect the queen and achieve victory over the Iranian nuclear program," as expressed.

It continued: "Trump promised Netanyahu that he would never allow the Iranians to extract enriched uranium from underground, even after 20 years," considering this a victory for Israel.

For its part, Maariv newspaper viewed the agreement as a capitulatory and defeated agreement for Israel.

According to the newspaper, the Israeli government throughout the war made empty promises and achieved none of them regarding securing safety for residents in the north who desired to eliminate Hezbollah.

The newspaper, as translated by SadaNews, considered that Iran received full recognition from the United States as having sovereignty in Lebanon, describing Tehran as Beirut.

It stated: "The majority of the Israeli public is aware that what transpired is merely disinformation and a desperate attempt by a political leadership incapable of marketing its failure."

It continued: "Perhaps very soon when Israeli soldiers leave Lebanon and head to the "Chariots of Gideon 3" operation in Gaza to defeat Hamas, then the political leadership will know how to turn military victory into a political victory as well."

On its side, Haaretz newspaper believed that Netanyahu's Israel will have a hard time convincing the Israeli public that it achieved any of the war's objectives.

It stated: "The path of discussions between the Americans and the Iranians is becoming clearer, and it does not necessarily align with the aspirations of Netanyahu's government."

It added: "It has become evident that many of Israel's claims are baseless, both regarding the war's objectives and separating the Lebanon front from Iran."