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3. Israel, U.S. Double Down on War Effort; Lebanon Reiterates Calls for Israel Negotiations

On Thursday, Israeli officials stated that Israel continues to act decisively against Iran and Hezbollah while the Trump administration sought additional funding for U.S. war efforts and called on allies to assist in operations at the Strait of Hormuz.

At the same time, Lebanese officials reiterated their support to begin direct negotiations with Israel while conveying a red line on any buffer zone in Lebanese territory.

Israeli Officials Speak on War

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Israel’s operations in Iran on Thursday, claiming that Iran does not have the ability today to enrich uranium and produce ballistic missiles. He added that he instructed army and Mossad personnel to target Iranian officials in any setting. 

Netanyahu also expressed doubt in the prospect of a popular revolution in Iran, stating that it is too early to say that the Iranian people will rise up against the regime. 

He also asserted that Israel acted unilaterally in its strikes on the South Pars gas field following pushback from President Trump.

On Hezbollah, Netanyahu conveyed that the organization will be defeated with the end of the Iranian regime, and added that the war with Iran may end sooner than many people think.

Arabic spokesperson to the Israeli army Avichay Adraee said in a statement that the Lebanese Army had not fully enforced control or prevented launches from southern Lebanon, suggesting the army’s aims to more actively dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure.

The Israeli army further added that it hit over 130 targets in Iran in the past 24 hours, focusing efforts on attacking Iran’s ballistic missile facilities, stating that it struck drones, missile platforms, and air defense systems.

Iran continues to attack Israeli targets, including an oil refinery in Haifa in northern Israel which was directly hit following an Israeli army warning of an incoming barrage of Iranian missiles.

Lebanese Officials Reaffirm Support for Israel Negotiations

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called for a truce while meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and restated his calls to negotiate with Israel to end the conflict between it and Hezbollah. 

A statement issued by the presidency expressed that “the negotiating initiative…is still on the table, but the continued military escalation is hindering its launch.”

Barrot also met with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri.

Salam also reiterated his support for negotiations with Israel to CNN, stating that Lebanon is ready to begin talks with Israel, but has not yet received a “clear framework” to launch negotiations.

He also added that Lebanon is not willing to accept any buffer zone extending into its territory.

Trump Administration Seeks War Funding

Earlier on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said that the White House will ask congress for around $200 billion to finance the war with Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he will not deploy troops in Iran and that “we are defending the Strait of Hormuz for the benefit of all, and we are the least to benefit from it.”

Following pressure on NATO allies to join the military campaign against Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, 6 countries, including the U.K., France, Germany, and Japan, issued a joint statement that they are ready to “contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.”

Trump also claimed that Iran’s missile launch capacity has decreased by 90%. U.S. Central Command announced that it targeted a ballistic missiles factory in Karaj amid operations to disrupt and destroy Iran’s capability to recover and deploy its arsenal.

The U.S. State Department approved a $16.5 billion emergency arms sales package to the UAE and Kuwait in a move that bypassed congressional review, citing urgent security concerns. The funding allocates $8 billion to Kuwait for air and missile defense radars and $8.5 billion to the UAE for THAAD-linked radar, LIDS counter-drone technology, AMRAAM missiles, and F-16 munitions.

UAE Dismantles Hezbollah Cell

The UAE State Security Service announced early on Friday that it had dismantled a Hezbollah-linked cell operating in the country, arresting 5 people with ties to Hezbollah and Iran. 

Emirati authorities stated that the network operated under the cover of fictitious commercial activity and sought to threaten the UAE’s financial stability.

Iran Attacks Gulf Energy Infrastructure

Kuwaiti, Saudi, and Emirati defenses confronted Iranian missile and drone threats in the early hours of Friday.

This barrage follows Iranian drone strikes on Thursday against a Saudi oil refinery on the Red Sea and two Kuwaiti energy facilities amid increased Iranian targeting of energy infrastructure.

QatarEnergy also said that Qatar lost 17% of its natural gas export capacity from Iranian strikes which may lead to a $20 billion loss in revenue. Qatari natural gas comprises 20% of the global supply.