Trump Urges De-escalation After Israeli Strikes Threaten US-Iran Peace Deal

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday urged an immediate halt to all attacks after the Israeli military announced it launched strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut. These actions have potentially complicated efforts to finalize a deal intended to end the U.S.-Iran war.

Smoke was seen rising over the Lebanese capital, and the health ministry reported three fatalities and 16 injuries. An Associated Press photographer described a five-story apartment building being struck, with the two lowest floors heavily damaged. Residents of the southern suburbs reportedly began fleeing the area.

Iran has threatened a military response to the strikes. Iran's parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned the U.S. on social media that if it lacked the will to fulfill commitments, continuing negotiations would be impossible. Gen. Mohammad Jafar Asadi, deputy commander of Iran’s Joint Command Headquarters, stated that these “crimes will not go unanswered.”

Trump reacted to the situation on social media, saying, “We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon” and urged, “Let’s not blow it!” He also characterized an earlier attack on northern Israel as “very small and meaningless, nobody was hurt, injured, or killed, and should not disrupt this important process.”

The Israeli military stated its strikes were a response to Hezbollah attacks on northern Israel, which involved three projectiles. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a statement asserting that “Israel will not tolerate firing into its territory,” and the military indicated preparations for potential incoming fire. Trump had previously pressed Prime Minister Netanyahu to reduce strikes on Lebanon while the deal was pending, but Netanyahu has reportedly defied these requests.

The proposed deal is reportedly a disappointment to the Israeli government, which has been excluded from negotiations led by Pakistan and other mediators. Qatari mediators traveled to Tehran on Sunday to help finalize the agreement. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had indicated the deal could be signed on Sunday, while Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson suggested it could happen in the coming days. Trump stated the Strait of Hormuz would open immediately after the signing, which is expected to be electronic.

(Source: Fortune)