Hezbollah has rejected a U.S.-backed truce in Lebanon. What the media is writing

The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah rejected the truce agreed upon by Israel and Lebanon. She refuses to leave the occupied territories in the south of the country, where fighting has continued in recent days. Failure to meet the conditions jeopardizes negotiations between the United States and Iran, as Tehran demands a cease-fire in Lebanon. What the media write about the situation in the Middle East is in the Izvestia digest.

The Washington Post: Hezbollah calls cease-fire agreement a "farce"

Hezbollah rejected the cease-fire agreement announced by Israel and Lebanon, leaving open the possibility of continued hostilities, which is important for US President Donald Trump's negotiations with Iran. Hezbollah was not involved in the negotiation process. The new agreement, brokered by the United States, provides for a cease-fire on Israel and withdrawal from southern Lebanon, while the Lebanese military will join the newly created "pilot zones" free of any non-state armed groups, namely Hezbollah.

A few hours after the agreement was announced, fighting continued. Israel carried out three strikes near the southern town of Nabatiya. As further confirmation that Israel has no intention of stopping the fighting, its army has issued a public warning urging Lebanese civilians not to move south of the Zahrani River, citing ongoing operations against Hezbollah.

Associated Press: What you need to know about the agreement between Israel and Lebanon

Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend a shaky truce with a view to continuing negotiations later this month to reach a comprehensive peace agreement. The agreement, brokered by the United States, was the result of the deepest incursion by Israeli forces into Lebanon in more than a quarter of a century. However, the agreement includes several controversial points, including the creation of "pilot" security zones inside Lebanon, in which the Hezbollah group, which Israel is fighting, will be banned, as well as a condition on the possible dissolution of this group.

Israel says it is at war with Hezbollah, which it has long considered a serious threat, and not with Lebanon itself. However, Israel attacked areas far from Hezbollah's zone of influence, including in the very center of the Lebanese capital. Lebanon's signing of a statement calling Hezbollah a threat underscores the growing rift in the country towards the group, as well as Beirut's efforts to distance itself from Iran and improve ties with the Gulf states and Washington. It also risks alienating Hezbollah and its supporters, mostly members of the Shiite community.

Bloomberg: Negotiations between the US and Iran have reached an impasse

There are no signs of progress in the US-Iran ceasefire talks after the Tehran-backed Hezbollah group rejected a US-brokered truce in Lebanon. Trump said the talks were in the "final" stage, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said they had reached an impasse.

Trump has repeatedly stated that the deal is close to completion, despite the fact that Iran refuses to give in to its demands on the nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The price of Brent crude oil rose slightly, approaching the level of $96 per barrel, and gold fell in price in response to continued uncertainty about the progress of the US-Iranian negotiations.

Neither war nor peace: what will the new exchanges of blows between Iran and the United States lead to?

Washington and Tehran are stuck in a gray area of negotiations, but still want to make a deal.

Reuters: Netanyahu's support in northern Israel is plummeting

A new poll has shown that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing a sharp drop in support in the north of the country, which is vital for the elections, from where Hezbollah is being subjected to the most intense rocket attacks. This puts pressure on him to take a tougher stance in the run-up to the elections. The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon may not meet the expectations of voters in the northern territories.

With Iran demanding an end to Israel's military campaign as part of any peace agreement with the United States, the poll shows that Netanyahu is increasingly caught between domestic political considerations in the election and the diplomatic efforts of his allies in Washington. General elections due by October could strip Netanyahu's ruling coalition of power, jeopardizing his long-standing reputation as Israel's main political power fighter.