Live updates: Trump urges Israel not to strike Lebanon with US and Iran ‘so close’ to agreement

President Donald Trump today called on Israel to not strike Lebanon as the US and Iran negotiate a memorandum of understanding on the war.

“This morning’s attack on Beirut should not have happened,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “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,” the post continued. “We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down.”

The post came hours after Israel said it struck Hezbollah strongholds in southern Beirut in response to fire into northern Israel earlier today. Previous Israeli strikes on Beirut a week ago triggered an Iranian ballistic missile attack on Israel, threatening to undo US efforts to reach a ceasefire with Iran.

Israel last carried out strikes on Beirut a week ago, when Netanyahu said: “We will not allow firing on our territory or on our communities, and we will act accordingly.”

Earlier this month, the US mediated a new fresh ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon under which Israel committed not to target Beirut if Hezbollah did not target Israeli civilians. Hezbollah rejected the new agreement.

“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,” Trump wrote in his post. “This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace — Let’s not blow it!”

Earlier this morning, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said that the administration was still on track to sign the memorandum with Iran despite the strikes by Israel.

“From all I know, we are on track. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when,” Hegseth said on CBS Face the Nation.