16.06.2026 08:30
The ceasefire agreement between Iran and the US, which had global markets and the Middle East on edge, has been finalized with digital signatures. While US President Donald Trump announced that the Strait of Hormuz will open with a ceremony on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking for the first time after the deal, said they will not withdraw from Lebanon, adding, "We still don't know what will happen."
A critical turning point has been reached in the US-Iran ceasefire that will completely change the balance in the Middle East. While the long-standing negotiations between Tehran and Washington have been formalized with the signing of digital signatures, initial assessments regarding the process have come from Israel, one of the parties to the conflict.
CEREMONY ON FRIDAY: STRAIT OF HORMUZ TO OPEN
The first official signal about the details of the agreement came from US President Donald Trump. Stating that the ceasefire agreement will be announced to the world with an official ceremony to be held on Friday, Trump also reported that the Strait of Hormuz, which is vital for global trade, will be fully opened to ship traffic on the same day.
NETANYAHU: WE WILL NOT WITHDRAW FROM LEBANON
After the agreement reached between the US and Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to whom all eyes turned, broke his silence. Responding to questions from the press, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel will not step back from the areas it occupies in southern Lebanon and stated the following:
"I think our American friends welcome this determination and firmness with respect. We want to preserve our freedom of movement in Lebanon and will continue our attacks in case of any threat."
"OUR GOAL WAS NOT TO OVERTHROW THE REGIME, I MADE NO MISTAKES"
Responding harshly to rising criticisms within Israel that "the attacks on Iran did not achieve their targets," Prime Minister Netanyahu argued that he had made no strategic mistake. In response to the question directed at him, "You said your aim was to eliminate the Iranian regime, where did you go wrong?" Netanyahu replied, "I made no mistakes," claiming that they never set the overthrow of the Tehran administration as a 'war goal'.
Netanyahu, who claimed they struck Iran's nuclear and missile production facilities and inflicted great economic and military damage, argued that they were trying to provide the necessary conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow the administration and added: "As long as I am Prime Minister of Israel, Iran will not possess a nuclear weapon."
"WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THE AGREEMENT WILL BE"
Referring to his relations with the US during the ceasefire process, Netanyahu admitted that they agree with President Trump on many issues but occasionally have differences of opinion. Speaking cautiously about the US-Iran agreement, Netanyahu said, "We still don't know what the agreement will be. This agreement was made by the US, not by us."
ANNOUNCED HE WILL RUN AGAIN IN ELECTIONS
At the end of his statements, Benjamin Netanyahu also gave a critical message regarding domestic politics, officially announcing that he will be a candidate for prime minister again in the elections to be held in Israel this year, amid the shadow of the war process and ceasefire discussions.