On June 7, local time, reports from AP and The Guardian indicated that Israel conducted airstrikes on the southern outskirts of Beirut. The Israeli military stated that the strikes targeted positions held by the Iran-aligned militant group Hezbollah, explaining that the action was in response to rockets fired from Hezbollah towards northern Israel.
The strikes raised concerns of escalation as Israel expanded its military operations beyond southern Lebanon to the vicinity of Beirut, complicating discussions surrounding U.S.-Iran negotiations.
Iran quickly retaliated by launching ballistic missiles towards northern Israel, which the Israeli military reported intercepting. Air raid sirens were activated in northern regions, and explosions were heard.
This missile launch has reintroduced the risk of military conflict into U.S.-Iran negotiations, which have been focused on issues such as nuclear matters, navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and sanctions relief since the ceasefire. However, the airstrike on Beirut and the missile response have heightened tensions just as a potential agreement seemed imminent.
President Trump called on Iran to cease further military actions and return to the negotiating table. In a phone interview with Fox News, he stated, "Now that they have fired missiles, it’s time to stop and come back to the table to make a deal." He added that the recent events would not aid negotiations.
Trump also expressed dissatisfaction with Israel, reportedly indicating that the attack on Lebanon was not coordinated with the U.S. He mentioned that he would urge Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to retaliate following Iran's missile launch.
He noted, "No one was hurt by Iran's attack," and expressed hope that Israel would refrain from further retaliation. He stated, "Both Israel and Iran have attacked. No further attacks are necessary."
Trump maintained that a U.S.-Iran agreement was close, saying, "We are very close to a final deal with Iran," and emphasized that he did not want the current situation to derail the negotiations. Fox News reported that Trump suggested an agreement with Iran could be reached as early as Monday to Wednesday of the following week.
The key factor now is whether Israel will retaliate again. If Israel resumes military actions, Iran would have justification for further responses. Conversely, if both sides can halt additional clashes, the U.S. may navigate this crisis and resume U.S.-Iran negotiations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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