US ambassador to Israel denounces settler siege on Palestinians as 'terror' - War on Gaza - War on Gaza

On 13 August 2026, the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, condemned a siege of Palestinian homes in the West Bank by Israeli settlers as a 'horrific act of terror'. He called the settlers 'Israeli terrorists' and said Washington was 'very' involved in efforts to end the siege. Media described it as a rare rebuke of the settlers.

Separately, Washington said Israel's presence in southern Lebanon was 'inconsistent' with an agreed framework. Israel then tied a withdrawal from Lebanon to the disarmament of Hezbollah, and its defence minister said Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon, Syria or Gaza. Lebanon condemned what it called 'systematic' Israeli destruction in the south.