Israel cautions US on Gaza pullout before Hamas disarms and denies role in Lebanese patrol attack

Israel warned the United States that a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza should not occur until Hamas fully hands over its weapons. Israeli officials said Hamas continues to rebuild its military capacity and that any premature pullout would allow the group to quickly restore its infrastructure. The warning followed President Donald Trump's announcement of a phased disarmament plan that includes tunnel destruction, a technocratic Palestinian administration and international security forces.

Separately, the Israeli Defense Forces denied involvement in a recent explosion that injured a Lebanese patrol in southern Lebanon, attributing the blast to a pre‑placed improvised explosive device carried out by Hezbollah. The incident occurred amid a U.S.-mediated framework for Israel’s phased withdrawal from border “pilot zones” and heightened tensions over compliance with the cease‑fire agreement.