Trump says Israeli strikes on Beirut "should not have happened" as Iran peace deal nears
Washington DC, June 14
US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that the Israeli strikes on Lebanon's capital of Beirut "should not have happened", warning that such escalation could jeopardise the peace agreement with Iran to achieve a complete solution to the West Asia conflict, which, according to him, is within reach.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump urged all parties to exercise restraint, saying the region stood on the brink of a potentially historic breakthrough.
"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. Israel has the right to defend itself against threats, but the attack it was responding to was very small and meaningless, nobody was hurt, injured, or killed, and should not disrupt this important process," the post read.
The US President asserted that the negotiations aimed at securing a peace deal with Iran had made significant progress and stressed that continued hostilities could undermine the diplomatic efforts.
"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," he noted.
Calling for de-escalation, Trump expressed hope that the current moment could pave the way for lasting stability in the Middle East.
"This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace -- Let's not blow it!" his post added.
Trump's remarks come after the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), earlier today, carried out a "precise strike" on a Hezbollah command centre in Beirut's Dahieh area following the launch of aerial targets by the rebel group towards Israeli territory.
In a statement, the IDF said the targeted facility was being used by Hezbollah operatives to coordinate and advance attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers deployed in southern Lebanon.
"Following Hezbollah's launch of aerial targets toward Israeli territory earlier today (Sunday), the IDF conducted a precise strike on a Hezbollah command center in Beirut," the Israeli military said in a statement on Telegram.
However, Hezbollah, in its statement on Telegram, stated that it carried out a drone strike targeting a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the southern Lebanese town of Qantara today.
Despite Trump's displeasure over Israeli strikes on Beirut, an Israeli source told CNN that the Jewish state had informed the US ahead of its strike, adding that the Israeli authorities had taken into account the possibility that the operation could trigger a ballistic missile response from Iran.
Following the Israeli military's strike in Beirut, IDF Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir has been holding continuous assessments with senior commanders, and based on the evolving situation, the Israeli forces are preparing for the possibility of incoming fire targeting Israeli territory in the coming hours.
On Saturday, Trump said that a peace deal with Iran was expected to be signed on Sunday and described it as a safeguard against nuclear proliferation, ensuring that the Islamic Republic would not acquire nuclear weapons in the future.
He further noted that after the deal is signed, the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz will be "open to all".
"The Deal is scheduled to get signed tomorrow, and immediately after it is signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL," Trump had stated in a post on Truth Social.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, as an Indian, I'm just tired of seeing this region burn repeatedly. We have our own issues with cross-border terrorism and diplomacy, so I understand the complexity. But calling an attack "small and meaningless" when it's a drone strike on a command center is a bit rich. If Hezbollah had hit an Israeli city, would the US President call that "small"? Double standards galore 🙄
Interesting to see Trump trying to broker peace after all the chaos he created. But let's be real, Israel has always done what it wants regardless of what the US says. They told the US about the strike in advance - that's just a courtesy, not asking for permission. The whole 'peace deal' sounds like wishful thinking when both sides are still firing missiles at each other. Nice thought, but practically, I'm skeptical. 🤷♂️
As someone who follows geopolitics, I find this fascinating from an Indian perspective. We've been playing the balancing act between Israel and Iran for years - our ties with Israel are strong, but we also need Iranian oil and its strategic location. Trump's promise to open the Strait of Hormuz is a huge deal for us since we import a ton of oil from that region. But if the deal fails, we're in trouble again. Let's hope this works out, but history says otherwise 😔
Trump says "don't blow it" but he literally blew up the previous Iran deal himself! 🤡 Now he's acting like a peace broker after letting Israel bomb civilian areas in Gaza. The hypocrisy is off the charts. But I'll give him credit for trying to de-escalate - the region doesn't need another war. India should stay out of this mess and focus on our own border issues with China and Pakistan instead.
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