US-Iran peace deal: As Washington and Tehran sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at ending their conflict, questions are emerging about Israel and its role.

Will Israel throw a spanner in the works for the US-Iran peace deal? Could it complicate or even derail the process?

To begin with, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who helped convince US President Donald Trump to launch the war against Iran, has made it clear that Israel does not consider itself bound by any US-Iran agreement when it comes to confronting Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

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While hostilities in Lebanon have eased after Trump publicly rebuked Netanyahu this week, any renewed escalation could threaten the emerging accord. Iran has said that the deal also requires a ceasefire in Lebanon.

Israel has also long regarded Iran's nuclear programme as an existential threat and has repeatedly warned against any arrangement that allows Tehran to retain significant nuclear capabilities or benefit from sanctions relief.

Separately, reports suggested that Israel was not consulted over the deal, fuelling speculation of growing tensions between the US and Israel. Trump, however, sought to dispel suggestions that Israel had been sidelined during the negotiations, confirming that Washington had shared the agreement with its closest Middle East ally.

"We did send a copy," Trump said, rejecting reports that Netanyahu had been kept in the dark. Trump added that he was confident the agreement could be signed within days, while cautioning that negotiations could still collapse at the last minute.

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Signs of friction between the two allies have become increasingly public. Speaking at the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Trump criticised Netanyahu's handling of Lebanon.

"Bibi Netanyahu happens to be a good man, but he gets a little excited sometimes," Trump said, while also describing him as an "amazing prime minister."

Referring to Israeli military operations against Hezbollah, Trump said: "We have a little dispute over Lebanon. I say, 'You can do a little softer touch, Bibi. You don't have to knock down a building every time somebody walks into it that's from Hezbollah.'"

Despite the disagreement, Trump emphasised that the relationship remained strong, calling it "an amazing partnership." He noted that Netanyahu himself recognises the imbalance in the relationship, saying Israel is "the very small partner" while the United States is "the big partner."

The dispute comes as Trump has chosen to end the wars in Iran and Lebanon before Israel's stated objectives were fully achieved. That has raised questions about Netanyahu's vision for the region, including his March declaration that "we are changing the face of the Middle East."

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Netanyahu's political identity has long been built around a hardline security posture. His Likud party portrays him as the leader who resisted calls for a Palestinian state while advocating military action against Iran and its regional allies.

"There will be no Palestinian state to the west of the Jordan River," Netanyahu said in 2025, adding that he had prevented the creation of such a state despite "tremendous pressure."

However, his hawkish reputation has faced challenges. Critics point to security failures before the Hamas attack, for which Netanyahu has not accepted responsibility, and to military campaigns that produced battlefield successes without delivering lasting victories. Israeli strikes in Gaza and Lebanon have caused widespread destruction and significant casualties, while Israel's military death toll has reached its highest level in decades.

Netanyahu has also faced mounting international criticism. The devastation in Gaza has led to accusations of genocide, which Israel rejects, and an International Criminal Court arrest warrant on war crimes charges that Netanyahu has described as absurd.

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Published on: Jun 18, 2026 9:43 AM IST