By Anietie anii-bassey
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday called for an immediate halt to further military action by all sides after Israeli airstrikes hit targets linked to Hezbollah in Beirut, an escalation that risks undermining ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at securing a broader agreement to end the U.S.-Iran conflict and stabilize the wider Middle East.
The strikes sent plumes of smoke rising over the Lebanese capital, while Lebanon’s health ministry reported at least three people killed and 16 others wounded in the latest round of violence.
The renewed fighting quickly drew warnings of retaliation from Iran, while Trump took to social media to urge restraint, saying the parties were “very close to a deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon” and warning, “Let’s not blow it.”
His remarks reflected mounting concern in Washington that the latest escalation could unravel months of indirect negotiations involving regional mediators, including Pakistan and other diplomatic channels. Trump had earlier suggested that a deal could be finalized as soon as Sunday, though officials involved in the talks have described the process as fragile and subject to rapid shifts in response to battlefield developments.
On the ground, Israeli officials said the strikes were carried out in response to rocket fire from southern Lebanon, with the Israeli government stating that Hezbollah had launched three projectiles toward northern Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Ministry officials reiterated that Israel would not tolerate attacks on its territory, while the military released footage it said showed incoming fire followed by explosions and smoke.
Hezbollah did not immediately issue a formal response to the latest strikes, though its operations have remained a central flashpoint in the wider regional conflict. An Associated Press photographer in Beirut reported significant damage to a five-story residential building in the southern suburbs, with residents fleeing areas that had only recently returned to relative calm.
The escalation comes amid an already volatile backdrop in which hostilities between Israel and Iran have intensified over recent months, with Lebanon increasingly serving as a secondary front. Iranian officials warned that the latest Israeli strikes would not go unanswered, while senior military figures in Tehran signaled that retaliation remained under consideration.
At the same time, diplomatic efforts continued behind the scenes, with mediators attempting to finalize a tentative agreement that would reduce regional tensions and address broader security concerns, including maritime stability in the Strait of Hormuz. Pakistani officials have played a visible coordinating role in the negotiations, with reports suggesting that Qatar has also been engaged in last-minute talks in Tehran.
Despite optimism among some mediators that a framework agreement could soon be reached, significant obstacles remain unresolved. The emerging deal reportedly falls short of resolving core disputes over Iran’s nuclear program and its frozen financial assets, instead outlining a temporary framework for continued technical negotiations over a 60-day period.
Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful, while Western governments continue to express concern over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Within Iran, officials have urged unity behind the negotiations, warning that internal political divisions could weaken the country’s position at a critical moment. Meanwhile, critics in the United States and Israel have questioned whether the emerging arrangement goes far enough, with some arguing it may fall short of earlier international agreements and fail to address Iran’s regional influence through allied groups such as Hezbollah.
As diplomatic efforts continue under intense pressure, Trump has pressed for rapid de-escalation, warning that continued strikes risk derailing what he described as a near-final agreement. However, Israeli leaders have maintained that security concerns will dictate their military actions, underscoring the widening gap between diplomatic aspirations and battlefield realities.
With tensions still high across Lebanon, Israel, and Iran, the situation remains highly unstable, and the prospects for a lasting ceasefire continue to depend on whether negotiators can translate fragile understandings into a binding agreement before the conflict escalates further.
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