‘Let’s Not Blow It’: Trump Tells Israel To Not Attack Lebanon, Says Peace Deal With Iran ‘Within Reach’
US President Donald Trump on Sunday said the attack on Beirut by Israel “should not have happened,” while emphasising that the peace deal with Iran is “very close”.
The Israeli military on Sunday launched strikes on Hezbollah targets in the Lebanese capital. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a post on X, said that the strikes were in response to Hezbollah attacks on the north of the country.
After the attacks, Trump said in a post on Truth Social: “This morning’s attack on Beirut should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran.”
While defending Israel’s “right to defend itself against threats,” he said, “the attack it was responding to was very small and meaningless, nobody was hurt, injured, or killed, and should not disrupt this important process”.
“We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down. There should be no more attacks by Israel anywhere in Lebanon, but there should also be no more attacks by any other party, including Hezbollah, against Israel. This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace — Let’s not blow it!” he added.
This comes amid reports that the US and Iran are moving closer to a framework agreement aimed at ending months of conflict and restoring maritime traffic through one of the world’s most important energy transit routes. The deal may get signed by Sunday.
Previously, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a joint statement saying that in response to continued Hezbollah attacks on Israel’s territory, including a terror drone strike this morning, an IDF surgical strike on a Hezbollah terrorist target in the Dahieh quarter of Beirut was authorised. “Israel will not tolerate firing at its territory,” it said.
The Israeli Defence Forces said in a post on X: “A Hezbollah command centre in Dahieh, Beirut, following their launch of aerial targets toward Israel. The command centre was used by Hezbollah terrorists to advance terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians & IDF soldiers operating in southern Lebanon. Prior to the strikes, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians.”
While reports have emerged that the US and Iran are likely to sign the deal on Sunday, Reuters quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, who said that no signing would take place on Sunday, though he indicated that an agreement could still be reached “in the coming days”.
