Donald Trump has publicly criticised Israel’s latest strike on Beirut, saying the attack “should not have happened” at a moment when the United States and Iran appear close to signing a deal aimed at ending the war, as an Iranian negotiator separately accused Washington of failing to prevent the strike.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “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. We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down.”
Trump went on to call for restraint from all parties involved in the conflict, drawing no distinction between Israel and Hezbollah in his appeal. “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 wrote. “This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace — Let’s not blow it!”
The intervention comes amid mounting tension over the timing of a potential agreement to end the war between the US and Iran, which Trump has previously said could be signed as early as Sunday. One of Iran’s senior negotiators has accused the United States of either allowing the latest Israeli strike on Beirut to go ahead, or being unable to prevent it — a claim that adds to the diplomatic strain surrounding the talks at a critical moment.
Trump’s framing of the Beirut strike as both unwarranted and minor, while simultaneously affirming Israel’s right to self-defence, reflects the delicate balancing act facing Washington as it seeks to keep the wider peace process on track. His call for both Israel and Hezbollah to halt hostilities in Lebanon underscores concerns that continued strikes, regardless of which side initiates them, could derail an agreement that the US president has repeatedly described as close to completion.
