Israel bombs Beirut and jeopardizes the agreement between Iran and the US

BeirutAn Israeli attack in the Ghobeiri neighborhood, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, has once again placed the Lebanese capital at the center of the regional escalation at a time of high diplomatic sensitivity. The bombing, which was carried out without prior evacuation orders, 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 tension in the Middle East.

Donald Trump planned to sign a preliminary agreement with TehranDonald Trump was planning to sign a preliminary agreement with TehranWashington's difficulty in imposing effective restrictions on Israel at a time when he is trying to close a deal with Iran. Israel threatens more attacksThe Iranian reaction was not long in coming either. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, president of the Iranian Parliament and Iran's chief negotiator, stated that the bombing demonstrates that the United States "has neither the will nor 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.

More severe was the Iranian general Mohammad Jafar Asadi, who warned that the attacks on the southern suburbs of Beirut "will not go unanswered." In Iran, it is taken for granted that the attacks against Dahieh are a strategic red line, and, in recent weeks, different officials have warned of possible reprisals if the bombings on the Lebanese capital are repeated.

From the negotiation environment, an American diplomat cited by Fox News has maintained that the attack could be interpreted as an attempt to "sabotage the agreement" between Washington and Tehran and once again drag the United States into a dynamic of open confrontation. The assertion reflects the growing perception that the Lebanese front is directly linked to the diplomatic process between the two powers. At the same time, it exposes Washington's difficulty in imposing effective restrictions on Israel at a time when it is trying to close an agreement 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 the so-called Golan file within Hezbollah and considered directly responsible for an attack against American soldiers in 2007. Leiter added that the United States had previously imprisoned him and that there was a reward of five million dollars 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," although he warned 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 reinforce 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 recorded. Among the victims is journalist Ali Mohammad, killed in an attack in Shaqra, in the Bint Jbeil district. In parallel, Hezbollah has 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 trigger a new outbreak of hostilities 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.