War fallout or peace push? Israel and US explore dramatic regional shifts
Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Mariella Succar
The recent war with Iran—and the terms under which it ended—has raised speculation about whether a new regional order is beginning to take shape. The momentum appears to be driven by the U.S.
President Donald Trump, who is reportedly a contender for the Nobel Peace Prize, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is seeking to avoid conviction in an ongoing corruption trial that could lead to prison.
For Netanyahu, the specter of incarceration has long haunted him, and critics say it has fueled his desire to prolong the wars he wages.
Israeli officials have confirmed that Netanyahu is expected to visit Washington in the coming two weeks, a trip they say will cap a series of current talks on potentially dramatic steps regarding the future of the Middle East.
Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, and Iran are all reportedly part of the proposed regional settlements. As for the West Bank, Trump is expected to recognize Israeli sovereignty over parts of it—an apparent gift to the far-right government led by Netanyahu, Bezalel Smotrich, and Itamar Ben Gvir.
Officials believe the first phase of any settlement will focus on Gaza. That was reportedly discussed in a recent call between Trump and Netanyahu, in which U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer also participated.
The call included talks about the release of Israeli hostages and an end to the Gaza war within two weeks, after which four Arab countries—including Egypt and the United Arab Emirates—would take over the administration of Gaza. Under this proposal, Hamas leaders would be exiled from the territory.
On Syria, which could be framed as a peace achievement for Trump, efforts are reportedly underway to support ongoing talks between Israeli and Syrian officials.
The discussions are being overseen by Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi, who expressed optimism during a meeting of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, saying normalization with Syria—and potentially with Lebanon—was within reach.
That optimism, however, is not universally shared. Many observers say Lebanon remains a particularly complex case, citing Hezbollah's dominant political role and ongoing efforts to restore its military capabilities.
Israeli political and security officials have made clear they hope to leverage the recent conflict with Iran to bring Lebanon and Syria into the Abraham Accords. The question of a Palestinian state, however, has barely been mentioned and appears to remain on the margins of these developments.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Nahar Net
34 minutes ago
- Nahar Net
Iran holds state funeral for top brass slain in war with Israel
by Naharnet Newsdesk 28 June 2025, 09:58 Iran began a state funeral service Saturday for around 60 people, including its military commanders, killed in its war with Israel, after Tehran's top diplomat condemned Donald Trump's comments on supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as "unacceptable". The proceedings started at 8:00 am local time (0430 GMT) in the capital Tehran as government offices and many businesses were closed on Saturday for the occasion. "The ceremony to honor the martyrs has officially started," state TV said, showing footage of thousands of people donning black clothes, waving Iranian flags and holding pictures of the slain military commanders. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, along with other senior government officials and military commanders -- including Esmail Qaani, head of the Quds Force, the foreign operations arm of the Revolutionary Guards -- also attended the event. Images showed coffins draped in Iranian flags and bearing portraits of the deceased commanders in uniform near Enghelab (Revolution) Square in central Tehran, where the march began. - Commanders, scientists to be buried - A patriotic eulogy blared from loudspeakers as the procession set out across the sprawling metropolis toward Azadi (Freedom) Square, 11 kilometers (seven miles) away. "Boom boom Tel Aviv," read one banner, referring to Iranian missiles fired at Israel during the conflict in retaliation for its attacks on Iran. Among the dead is Mohammad Bagheri, a major general in Iran's Revolutionary Guards and the second-in-command of the armed forces after the Iranian leader. He will be buried alongside his wife and daughter, a journalist for a local media outlet, all killed in an Israeli attack. Nuclear scientist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, also killed in the attacks, will be buried with his wife. Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami, who was killed on the first day of the war, will also be laid to rest after Saturday's ceremony -- which will also honor at least 30 other top commanders. Of the 60 people who are to be laid to rest after the ceremony, four are children and four are women. - No sanction relief - The United States had carried out strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites last weekend, joining its ally Israel's bombardments of Iran's nuclear program in the 12-day conflict launched on June 13. Both Israel and Iran claimed victory in the war that ended with a ceasefire, with Iranian leader Khamenei downplaying the U.S. strikes as having done "nothing significant". In a tirade on his Truth Social platform, Trump blasted Tehran Friday for claiming to have won the war. He also claimed to have known "EXACTLY where he (Khamenei) was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces... terminate his life". "I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH, and he does not have to say, 'THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!'" the U.S. leader said. Trump added he had been working in recent days on the possible removal of sanctions against Iran, one of Tehran's main demands. "But no, instead I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more," Trump said. Hitting back at Trump Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the Republican president's comments on Khamenei. "If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran's Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei," Araghchi posted on social media platform X. "The Great and Powerful Iranian People, who showed the world that the Israeli regime had NO CHOICE but to RUN to 'Daddy' to avoid being flattened by our Missiles, do not take kindly to Threats and Insults." The Israeli strikes on Iran killed at least 627 civilians, Tehran's health ministry said. Iran's attacks on Israel killed 28 people, according to Israeli figures. - 'Imminent threat' - During his first term in office, Trump pulled out in 2018 of a landmark nuclear deal -- negotiated by former U.S. president Barack Obama. The deal that Trump had abandoned aimed to make it practically impossible for Iran to build an atomic bomb, while at the same time allowing it to pursue a civil nuclear program. Iran, which insists its nuclear program is only for civilian purposes, stepped up its activities after Trump withdrew from the agreement. After the U.S. strikes, Trump said negotiations for a new deal were set to begin next week. But Tehran denied a resumption, and leader Khamenei said Trump had "exaggerated events in unusual ways", rejecting U.S. claims Iran's nuclear program had been set back by decades. Israel had claimed it had "thwarted Iran's nuclear project" during the 12-day war. But its foreign minister reiterated Friday the world was obliged to stop Tehran from developing an atomic bomb. "The international community now has an obligation to prevent, through any effective means, the world's most extreme regime from obtaining the most dangerous weapon," Gideon Saar wrote on X.
LBCI
10 hours ago
- LBCI
Trump insists Iran 'wants to meet' for talks
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that Iran wants to return to negotiations on its nuclear program, a week after its main uranium enrichment facility and other sites were hit with U.S. air strikes. "So Iran wants to meet. As you know, their sites were obliterated, their very evil nuclear sites," the Republican leader told reporters at the White House without elaborating. Iran's top diplomat said Wednesday that there was "no plan" for new negotiations. AFP
LBCI
10 hours ago
- LBCI
Names released, fear spreads: Israel escalates 'financial war' on Hezbollah with latest targeting
Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian This was not just another isolated Israeli strike. The targeting of Haytham Bakri and two of his sons in the southern town of Kfar Dajjal on Tuesday was more than that. According to Israeli claims, Bakri is a money changer who heads the "Al-Sadiq" Currency Exchange, which the Israeli military alleges serves as financial infrastructure for storing and transferring funds to Hezbollah. More alarming is that Israel did not stop at naming Bakri. It publicly released the names of five additional currency exchange companies and their owners, accusing them of channeling money to Hezbollah. Israeli reports claim the existence of networks moving funds from Iran to Lebanon via Iraq, Turkey, or the United Arab Emirates. Through these routes, the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps allegedly transfers millions of dollars to the six listed exchange firms. Alongside these accusations and the strike on Bakri and his sons, the Israeli military also claimed to have killed Behnam Shahriyari in Iran — a Quds Force commander said to be responsible for transferring money to Hezbollah. The publication of the names of the money changers and their companies operating in Lebanon has sparked fear among those listed, who now worry they may be targeted next. Sources familiar with the matter note that the U.S. administration typically imposes sanctions on individuals and companies through formal procedures and communication with Lebanese authorities. But in this case, the naming and accusing of companies and individuals is being carried out unilaterally by Israel, with no oversight. Some of the accused money changers, the sources said, have been advised to contact Lebanon's central bank and the Banking Control Commission to request an investigation to verify their legal and financial standing, as well as to communicate with security agencies to demonstrate their compliance and to seek protection through the channels and contacts they rely on. Israel's strikes on what it describes as Hezbollah's financial networks are not new, even if they now come in more public and escalatory forms. In April of last year, money changer Mohammad Srour was assassinated after being lured to Beit Meri. Investigations pointed to Mossad involvement amid reports he had been transferring funds from Iran to Palestinian factions.
