US President Donald Trump on Sunday criticised , Beirut and called on all sides to refrain from extending hostilities, as it could complicate the efforts to finalise a peace deal between the United States and Iran.
The Israeli military’s attack on the southern suburbs in Beirut led to three people being killed, while six others were injured. The Israeli airstrike struck a five-storey apartment building in Dahiyeh, AP reported.
After Iran threatened a military response over the fresh Israeli strikes in Lebanon, President Trump responded, saying, “We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region. Let’s not blow it!”
The deal in its current form is said to be a setback for the Israeli government, which has been allegedly sidelined in the negotiations being led by Pakistan and other mediators, AP reported.
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Trump, who has said earlier that a peace deal with Iran would be signed on Sunday, has pressed Israeli Prime Minister to pause hostilities in Lebanon but the Israeli leader has defied his call.
Criticising Tel Aviv’s attack on Lebanon, Trump wrote 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.”
Al-Mayadeen reported an Israeli airstrike on a five-story building in the southern suburb of Beirut.
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The US President further said, “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.”
Netanyahu’s office, however, defended the Israeli strikes and said the attack were in retaliation to Hezbollah’s bombardment in northern Israel. A joint statement by Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said, “Israel will not tolerate firing into its territory.”
The Israeli military stated that it was preparing for potential incoming of strikes in the coming hours. Iran has reiterated that peace deal with the United States must also include ceasing Israel’s hostilities in Lebanon.
