Hezbollah is pushing for a complete ceasefire and requesting that Iranian negotiators ensure that the terror group is included in any agreement reached with the US, a senior IDF Northern Command official told Israeli public broadcaster KAN News on Thursday.
Israel's defense echelons fear that a deal between the US and Iran could cause a freeze on IDF counterterrorism operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, KAN reported.
The defense establishment also fears that this could lead to a US demand that the IDF withdraw from southern Lebanon, KAN noted.
Israel has, so far, succeeded in ensuring that there is a disconnect between Hezbollah and the US-Iran talks, but the Northern Command fears that the agreement will include a clause in which the White House will instruct Israel to cease fighting in Lebanon.
Hezbollah has been "significantly weakened, despite the drone and rocket attacks it carries out from deep within its territory," the Northern Command official told KAN.
"Hezbollah is fighting for its life," and is urging Iran to include it in the agreement, he added.
Meanwhile, the military is also requesting that the political echelons allow it to increase strikes and ground operations in Lebanon, N12 News reported on Thursday.
The military's recommendation comes amid a belief that it would not be the right decision to "spread out" the current counterterrorism operations, not only due to the risk of Washington imposing a ceasefire, but also due to the direct impact on civilian residents of the North, N12 reported.
IDF ramps up strikes against Hezbollah amid risk of imposed ceasefire
Amid this, the military has increased strikes against Hezbollah, including hitting Beirut earlier this week.
Further, on Thursday, the IDF revealed that approximately 2,500 Hezbollah terrorists have been killed since the start of Operation Roaring Lion, including 800 since the Iran ceasefire came into effect.
The military on Thursday also published a list of seven leaders within Hezbollah's terror hierarchy that have been killed within the past two weeks.
These were the commander of the Al-Khiam and Jibchit sectors, respectively, the assistant to the deputy commander of the terror group's Badr Unit, an intelligence officer in the Shaqif sector, the head and deputy head of engineering in the Yohmor sector, and the head of engineering in the Jouaiyya sector.