Trump Warns Israel After Attack in Lebanon

Following attacks by the Lebanese Hezbollah militia on northern Israel, the Israeli Air Force struck targets in the area of the Lebanese capital Beirut again on Sunday.

Trump wrote that Israel has the right to defend itself against threats, but that the attack to which the country responded was insignificant—no one was killed or injured.

At the same time, Trump called on all sides to exercise restraint. He said they were on the verge of concluding an agreement with Iran that would bring peace to the region—including Lebanon. There should be no more Israeli attacks anywhere in Lebanon, the U.S. president continued, and there should also be no more attacks by other parties, including Hezbollah, against Israel.

Following the Israeli attacks near Beirut, Iran had called into question the potential agreement on a framework deal with the U.S. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards—the Islamic Republic’s elite force—threatened Israel with retaliatory strikes.

Trump had actually held out the prospect of signing a framework agreement this Sunday, the day he himself celebrates his 80th birthday. Such an agreement would initially lead to in-depth negotiations for a possible end to the war. On February 28, the U.S. and Israel had launched the war against Iran. A ceasefire has been in effect since April. However, there have been repeated mutual attacks.