Trump Berates Netanyahu Over Strike That Threatens Iran Deal
President Donald Trump called for restraint on Sunday after Israel launched airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, publicly condemning the attack and privately berating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a US-Iran peace deal hung in the balance. The developments marked one of the most volatile days in the three-month Middle East conflict, with Iran warning of an “imminent” military response and flights in western Iran canceled until further notice.
A Deal Within Reach
The crisis unfolded on a day when Trump had repeatedly claimed a peace agreement with Iran was just hours away from being signed. According to The Guardian, the proposed memorandum of understanding would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to global shipping, lift the US naval blockade on Iranian ports, release billions in frozen Iranian assets, and establish a 60-day framework for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.
Qatari mediators traveled to Tehran on Sunday to finalize the terms, with the agreement expected to be signed electronically. But the Israeli strikes threw the process into chaos.
Israel Strikes Hezbollah in Beirut
The Israel Defense Forces carried out airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in the Dahieh district of Beirut’s southern suburbs — the first such strikes since the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. The attack destroyed a five-story apartment building and shopping area, killing three people and injuring six, according to BBC News.
Israel said the strikes were in response to Hezbollah rocket attacks targeting northern Israel. The IDF reported that a projectile crossed from Lebanon and impacted near Neot Mordechai, with additional impacts in southern Lebanon where Israeli troops were operating. Prime Minister Netanyahu said he personally approved the strike, which targeted a senior commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force.
Trump’s Fury
Trump reacted with visible anger. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “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 described the Hezbollah attack that triggered the Israeli response as “very small and meaningless, nobody was hurt, injured, or killed.”
“We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down,” Trump wrote. “This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace — Let’s not blow it!”
Behind the scenes, Trump’s anger was more visceral. He told Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst that he called Netanyahu and demanded: “What the f*** are you doing?” In a separate interview with Axios, Trump said he told the Israeli leader he has “no f***ing judgment” and that the strike had “delayed the signing by a few hours.”
The extraordinary public rebuke of a close ally underscored the stakes involved. Israeli officials have warned that the reported terms of the US-Iran memorandum could threaten Israel’s security interests, particularly the absence of provisions addressing Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal or its support for regional proxies like Hezbollah.
Iran Warns of Retaliation
Tehran’s response was swift and ominous. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council warned: “The response of the fighters of Islam is imminent. Lebanon is our life and violation of the red lines of the Islamic Republic will not be tolerated.”
Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, declared: “A computational error in Beirut exhausted patience, and the order was issued. Zero hour has arrived, and the launchers are preparing.” He warned that if “the fire of mischief in Lebanon is not extinguished,” Iran would use its control over the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab strait to “squeeze your economic lifelines to the point of strategic suffocation.”
All flights in western Iran were canceled until further notice, according to reports from Iran’s Tasnim News Agency. Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst reported from Tel Aviv that Israeli officials were bracing for possible Iranian missile strikes, warning the public to remain vigilant.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, a lead negotiator for Tehran, accused the United States of giving Israel a “green light” for the strikes, writing on X: “The Zionists’ incursion into Dahiyeh has once again shown that America either lacks the will to fulfill its commitments or the ability to do so.”
International Reaction
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the Israeli strikes, urging “maximum restraint at this crucial moment.” Guterres noted that the conflict has had a “devastating impact on the world’s economy” and expressed hope for a successful outcome of the US-Iran negotiations.
US Central Command reported that it had disabled nine commercial vessels attempting to violate the blockade on Iranian ports and redirected 142 ships, underscoring the ongoing military dimensions of the crisis even as diplomatic efforts accelerated.
The Deal’s Uncertain Future
The timing of the Israeli strikes — on the very day a deal was expected to be signed — raised questions about whether Netanyahu was attempting to sabotage the agreement. Israeli officials have expressed deep concern that the emerging deal does not require Iran to restrict its ballistic missile program or end support for regional militant groups.
In Israel, reaction to the deal’s broad outlines has been sharply critical. Avi Ashkenazi wrote in the mass-market Maariv newspaper: “This is a colossal failure. A full-blown collapse. Iran has undisputedly emerged as the big winner.” Jacob Nagel, a former national security adviser to Netanyahu, called the draft deal a “big mistake.”
Meanwhile, Iranian hardliners mounted a vociferous campaign against the proposed agreement. According to The Guardian, MP Kamran Ghazanfari called claims of victory a “blatant lie,” while Rajanews managing director Meysam Nili described the deal as “catastrophic capitulation.” Protests erupted outside the foreign ministry in Tehran under a “we will not accept” hashtag.
What Comes Next
Trump is expected to discuss demining the Strait of Hormuz during the G7 summit that begins Monday. But even if the waterway is reopened, analysts caution that relief for the global economy will come slowly. Safe passage for shipping is far from assured, and infrastructure damaged during the conflict will take months to fully repair.
The central question remains whether Iran will retaliate militarily against Israel — potentially derailing the peace process entirely — or show restraint to allow the deal to proceed. Iran’s “imminent” response warning suggests preparations for military action, but the actual response remains uncertain.
As one regional analyst told The Guardian: “The Iranians do not trust the Americans and are not convinced that the Americans will hold the Israelis in check.” With hardliners on all sides maneuvering against the deal, the path to peace remains precarious.