US President Donald Trump on Sunday called on all sides to avoid further escalation after Israel carried out an airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs, warning that renewed hostilities could undermine ongoing efforts to achieve a broader peace agreement in the region.
'Let's not blow it': Trump
In a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump said that Israel's strike on Beirut "should not have happened", particularly at a time when negotiators were "so close to a peace deal with Iran."
"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," he said.
While reaffirming Israel's right to defend itself, Trump suggested that the Hezbollah attack, which prompted the response, was relatively minor. "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 it should not disrupt this important process," he said.
Trump also called on all sides to avoid further escalation, saying a regional peace agreement could be within reach. "We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down. 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. This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace — let's not blow it!" he added.
Israel hits Beirut
The remarks came after the Israeli military carried out strikes on Hezbollah targets in the Lebanese capital despite ongoing efforts to negotiate an end to the US-Iran war.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation was launched in response to Hezbollah attacks in northern Israel.
Israel's military said Hezbollah launched three projectiles, releasing footage where an audible boom was followed by rising smoke. There was no immediate comment from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah.
The strikes threatened to hamper negotiations over a deal, which in its current form is a deep disappointment to Israel's government. The last time Israel struck the Beirut suburbs a week ago, it set off the most serious escalation of fighting between Iran and Israel since the tenuous ceasefire took hold April 7.
Hezbollah fired missiles into Israel on March 2, two days after the US and Israel attacked Iran, sparking war in the Middle East. Israeli troops have pushed their invasion of Lebanon deeper than at any point in over a quarter century.