‘Let’s not blow it!’ Trump says after Tehran warns Israeli strike on Beirut risks US-Iran deal
US-Iran deal at risk of derailing as Lebanon remains major obstaclepublished at 16:46 BST
Hugo Bachega
Middle East correspondent in Beirut
Lebanon had already become a major obstacle for a deal between the US and Iran, and the Israeli attack on the southern suburbs of Beirut, where the Iranian-backed armed group Hezbollah is based, can further complicate those efforts.
Iran insists that any truce should also include the end of the war here, something that has been rejected by Israel, which appears to have been sidelined in the negotiations.
Israeli officials say the conflict against Hezbollah is separate to the one in Iran and, in Israel, there is public support for the war in Lebanon to continue.
If Iran is successful in linking the two arenas, Israel may be forced to stop its military activities in Lebanon.
Many will say the timing of this attack, which Israel says was in response to Hezbollah’s attacks against northern Israel, was no coincidence, amid the expectation of the possible signing of the deal.
Image source, EPA/Shutterstock
The full text has not been released – in fact, we still do not know if it all its terms have been agreed by both sides – but there seems to be a consensus in Israel that this is a setback for the country: the military successes do not appear to have been translated into something that can be seen as a strategic victory.
Based on leaks of the deal, an Israeli military official described it as “very bad” and “catastrophic” to the country’s Ma’ariv newspaper.
A defence official told N12 “none of the goals set by Israel have received an immediate response in the agreement.”
Finally, Iran had vowed to respond to any strike on Beirut by attacking Israel. A deal that was described as being close is once again at risk of derailing.
