Iran warns Israel over Lebanon strikes as Trump slams Netanyahu
Iran threatened a harsh response to Israel’s continued strikes in southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah, while former US President Donald Trump criticized Israel’s handling of the conflict and suggested Syria could manage Hezbollah better. The US-Iran agreement, set to be publicly released, does not require Israel to withdraw from Lebanon, but Iran demands it as part of broader negotiations, complicating diplomatic efforts at the G7 summit in France.
Former US President Donald Trump renewed criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon, stating that Israel has fought Iran-backed Hezbollah for too long and that excessive civilian casualties are occurring. Trump urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be more responsible regarding the Lebanon conflict, adding that Syria might handle Hezbollah more effectively. Iran’s military warned Israel of a harsh response if its offensive in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah continues, according to a statement from the semi-official Fars News Agency. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi framed the conflict as linked to broader US-Iran tensions, reiterating Tehran’s demand for Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon as part of its agreement with the US. The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported a reduced level of violence along the Israel-Lebanon border, attributing the improvement to the US-Iran agreement, though Israeli strikes killed at least four people in separate incidents on Tuesday, as reported by Lebanese state media. A senior US official clarified that the agreement does not mandate Israel’s withdrawal, and Israel has refused to halt its operations against Hezbollah. Trump also announced plans to publicly release the text of the US-Iran agreement within days, though US negotiators downplayed its significance, stating it does not reflect Iran’s back-channel commitments. Israel reportedly requested access to the agreement text but was denied by the US. At the ongoing G7 summit in France, discussions about the agreement have been described as frank, with Trump engaging with leaders from three Arab states and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The diplomatic tensions underscore the complexity of resolving the conflict amid escalating regional hostilities.
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