The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has censured this Sunday Israel's latest attack on Beirut, on a particularly sensitive day for regional diplomacy.
The president, who celebrates his birthday while his government tries to close a preliminary agreement with Iran, has stated that the Israeli bombing "should not have happened".
"It should not have happened"
Trump published a message on Truth Social in which he reproached the Israeli offensive against the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital.
"This morning's attack on Beirut should not have happened," the US president said, before emphasizing that the chosen moment was particularly delicate because Washington and Tehran would be close to reaching a peace agreement.
An attack that could complicate the pact with Iran
According to Trump, Israel has the right to defend itself from threats, but the attack it was responding to was "very minor and insignificant," with no victims or injured on Israeli territory.
Therefore, he warned that the Israeli response should not hinder a diplomatic process that he considers key to stabilizing the region.
"We are very close to an agreement that will bring peace to the region, including Lebanon," he maintained.
Call for restraint
The US president has asked all parties to exercise restraint to avoid an escalation that could derail the negotiation.
Trump has called for no more attacks by Israel in Lebanon, but also for no faction, including Hezbollah, to attack Israeli territory again.
In his opinion, the current moment could be the beginning of a "lasting" peace, as long as the parties do not spoil the opportunity.
Three dead and six injured
The Israeli Army reported new military attacks this Sunday on the Dahye suburbs in southern Beirut, an area considered a Hezbollah stronghold.
According to Lebanese media and the Lebanese National News Agency, the bombing of an apartment in Al Ghobeiry has left at least three dead and six injured.
Israel speaks of response to Hezbollah
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained that the attack was ordered by Netanyahu himself and by Defense Minister Israel Katz.
According to the Israeli statement, the Israel Defense Forces attacked Hezbollah targets in response to the launch of projectiles against Israeli territory.
The Israeli Army had previously reported that three projectiles fired from Lebanon fell into Israeli communities near the border.
Dahye, a key enclave for Hezbollah
The attack occurred in Dahye, a hub in the southern suburbs of Beirut with a strong presence and support for the Shiite militia Hezbollah. The area has high symbolic and strategic value within the regional balance, as Hezbollah is one of Iran's main allies in the Middle East.
Therefore, the Israeli offensive comes at the worst time for talks between Washington and Tehran.
A warning amid diplomatic tension
Trump's public criticism of Israel is a relevant gesture amid negotiations with Iran. The US president is trying to reach an understanding that, according to his own account, could open a new phase of talks and reduce tension in the region.
The bombing of Beirut, however, introduces a new factor of uncertainty into a process already marked by mistrust between the parties and by pressure from the Lebanese front.