Israel bombs Beirut and endangers the agreement between Iran and the US
Trump blames Netanyahu for "lack of sense" but maintains that the ratification of the understanding will be in "the coming hours"
BeirutAn Israeli attack in the Ghobeiri neighborhood, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, has once again placed the Lebanese capital at the center of regional escalation at a time of high diplomatic sensitivity. The bombing, which was carried out without a prior evacuation order, has left at least three dead and sixteen injured, and occurred while the United States and Iran are advancing in talks on a possible memorandum of understanding aimed at reducing tensions in the Middle East.
Donald Trump expected to sign a preliminary agreement with TehranDonald Trump planned to sign a preliminary agreement with Tehran. According to various diplomatic sources, the text would include indirect provisions on the Lebanese front, as the Iranian regime has made it clear that it also demands an end to attacks against Lebanon. Therefore, this latest bombing in the country's capital jeopardizes negotiations.
Trump himself has criticized the operation. "This morning's attack in Beirut should not have happened, especially on a special day, when we are so close to a peace agreement with Iran," he wrote on Truth Social. "We are very close to an agreement that will bring peace to the region, including Lebanon, and all parties should stand down," he said, adding that "there should be no more Israeli attacks on Lebanon." In statements to the media Axios, he lamented that this operation has caused a delay of "a few hours" in the signing of the agreement with Iran. But he maintained that it will be ratified soon: "It is now scheduled to be in a few hours."
Nevertheless, Trump has shown himself to be very angry with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "It's so serious... I couldn't believe it. An hour before we were supposed to sign the deal," he told Axios. "Why did Bibi have to launch a fucking attack? I was so angry... I let him know. He has no fucking sense.", Trump insisted.
The Iranian reaction was also quick to arrive. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, president of the Iranian Parliament and Iran's chief negotiator, stated that the bombing shows that the United States “does not have the will or the capacity to fulfill its commitments.” For Tehran, the attack on Beirut questions the credibility of any agreement if Israel maintains freedom of action on the ground.
Washington's difficulty in imposing effective restrictions on Israel at a time when it is trying to close a deal with Iran.
Israel threatens more attacksdifficulty in imposing effective restrictions on Israel" at a time when it is trying to close a deal with Iran.
Israel threatens more attacks
The Israeli ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, stated that the Israeli army has eliminated Ali Moussa Daqdouq, head of Hezbollah's so-called Golan file and considered directly responsible for an attack against American soldiers in 2007. Leiter added that the United States had previously imprisoned him and that a reward of five million dollars was pending for his capture.
However, the Israeli army later confirmed that it was last week that they eliminated Daqdouq during an attack in southern Lebanon. Among the three people killed in Sunday's bombing in Beirut are two women, according to the country's Ministry of Health.
After the operation, the chief of staff of the Israeli army, Eyal Zamir, stated that Lebanon is Israel's "main strategic priority," while warning that the armed forces are also preparing for possible developments on other fronts. Zamir added that the army "will expand its attacks against Hezbollah," as part of the ongoing offensive to strengthen the security of northern Israel.
Sunday's attacks were not limited to Beirut. During the day, Israeli drones and aircraft attacked multiple points in southern Lebanon, where at least two more deaths were registered. Among the victims is journalist Ali Mohammad, killed in an attack in Shaqra, in the Bint Jbeil district. In parallel, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for six operations against Israeli positions deployed in Lebanese territory, in an exchange of fire that continues along the border.
The question now is whether this bombing in Beirut will lead to a new point of military activation or if the response will be contained. So far, Hezbollah and Iran have tried to contain their actions to avoid an open regional war, but the recent sequence shows that an attack on the Lebanese capital could escalate beyond Lebanon and simultaneously cause a diplomatic rupture.