Trump Criticizes Israeli Strike on Beirut, Says "Let's Not Blow" Chance for Peace
Donald Trump has publicly criticized Israel's latest military action in Beirut, warning that escalating tensions could undermine efforts to secure a broader peace agreement in the Middle East.
The U.S. president reacted after Israel carried out strikes in Beirut following reports that Hezbollah launched projectiles toward communities in northern Israel. Israeli authorities described the incident as a violation of the existing ceasefire arrangement.
According to Israeli officials, the military targeted Hezbollah-linked sites in Beirut's Dahiyeh district in response to the launches. The operation was announced in a joint statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz.
Trump later addressed the development on social media, expressing frustration over the timing of the strike.
"This morning's attack on Beirut should not have happened," he wrote, adding that the region was moving closer to a potential agreement involving Iran.
While acknowledging Israel's right to defend itself, Trump argued that the incident which prompted the response was limited in scale and should not derail ongoing diplomatic efforts.
"We are very close to a deal that will bring peace to the region, including Lebanon," Trump said. He called on all sides to avoid further military action, urging both Israel and Hezbollah to step back from additional confrontation.
"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 added.
Trump concluded his message with a warning that a rare opportunity for stability could be lost if tensions continue to rise.
"This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace. Let's not blow it."
The comments came as discussions surrounding a possible agreement with Iran continue to attract global attention. Trump has maintained that a future deal could permanently prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons while helping ease tensions across the region.
However, Iranian officials have signaled caution. Tehran has not confirmed that an agreement is imminent and recently indicated there was currently little reason to engage in peace negotiations with Washington.
The debate over diplomacy versus confrontation also drew a response from former U.S. President Barack Obama.
Speaking in excerpts released from an ABC News interview, Obama questioned whether any new agreement would represent a major improvement on the 2015 nuclear accord negotiated during his administration.
"It is doubtful that any agreement that arises is going to be significantly different or a significant improvement from the deal that we had in the first place," Obama said.
He argued that the earlier agreement had delivered results before the United States withdrew from it and stressed the importance of diplomacy in resolving complex international disputes.
Obama also suggested that military pressure alone is rarely enough to secure lasting solutions.
"You'd think we would have learned that lesson by now," he said.
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