Pakistan and Qatar, mediators between Iran and the United States, announced today a “deconfliction cell” for the conflict in Lebanon. The cell, a collaboration between all five countries, is supposed to ensure deescalation of the conflict in Lebanon.

• A “deconfliction cell” in diplomatic parlance is a formal communication channel between two indirect parties in a war on opposing sides to avoid accidental strikes.

The elephant in the room is that Israel, supposedly the U.S.’s main ally in the Middle East, is not invited to participate, even though it is the main victim of and belligerent against Hezbollah.

• This, coupled with U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent lambasting of Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah, suggests he may be using the cell to protect Hezbollah from Israel.
• A “deconfliction cell” in diplomatic parlance is a formal communication channel between two indirect parties in a war on opposing sides to avoid accidental strikes.
• Why was Israel left out? President Trump has stressed in recent days he isn’t pleased with Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah. He said last Tuesday that Israel’s war “just goes on forever” and “it throws a negative light” on the negotiations with Iran.
• It appears the cell’s purpose is to act as an international forum to pressure Israel to stand down against Hezbollah. At the very least, seeing the U.S. create a body like this, which includes Iran but leaves out Israel, is a dramatic statement from Washington to Jerusalem: We’re not siding with you.

Meanwhile, on the war front: This comes even as Iran has become more belligerent against the U.S. and has contravened agreed-upon terms:

• Iran claimed Friday it had shut the Strait of Hormuz to merchant traffic. The U.S. and Iran agreed today on a communication line to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.
• Media reports suggest the U.S. intelligence community is skeptical of Iran’s seriousness in reaching a nuclear deal, the main discussion of current negotiations.
• Iran claims that it would negotiate better terms with the U.S. if Israel stopped attacking its proxy terrorist group in Lebanon, Hezbollah.

Based on Bible prophecy, we wrote last month: “Israel and the U.S. entered this war as close allies. They could exit it divided.” This division is happening now.