US President Donald Trump said the Israeli attack on Lebanon's capital Beirut today should not have taken place at a time when Washington is very close to a peace agreement with Iran.
Trump wrote on his Truth Social account that Israel has the right to self-defense. However, he noted that the attack was carried out in response to a minor incident that caused no casualties—neither dead nor wounded—and stressed that this should not disrupt the important process.
Trump stated that Israel should no longer attack any point in Lebanon, and also wrote that Hezbollah should not carry out attacks against Israel. In his statement, he said this could be the beginning of a long and lasting peace and called for the process not to be wasted.
The Israeli army announced that the attack on the Dahiye district south of Beirut was carried out in response to Hezbollah firing into Israeli territory this morning.
The attack took place at a time when Iran and the US have advanced to the "electronic signature" stage and, according to officials from both sides, are closer than ever to a peace deal.
Iranian Parliament Speaker and head of Iran's negotiating team, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, also wrote hours after the attack that this once again shows that the US is either unwilling or unable to fulfill its commitments.
Ghalibaf argued that an old good cop-bad cop game is no longer valid, saying, "You cannot gain an advantage by giving the green light to the regime." He also stated that if there is no will or power to implement commitments, then the continuation of the process cannot be discussed.
Israel had also targeted the Dahiye district in Beirut on the 17th of the month; this attack drew Iran's reaction and escalated into approximately 16 hours of mutual conflict.
Iran maintains that any agreement must include stopping the war in Lebanon. The US and Israel, on the other hand, are working on a separate agreement regarding Lebanon that would ensure Hezbollah's disarmament.
